About our research
We offer a unique combination of top level organic and biomolecular chemistry research groups at the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM), the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Science (RIMLS), and the Radboud Institute for Health Sciences (RIHS). On this page, you can read more about the relevant institute(s), research groups and unique facilities that make our highly renowned research possible.
Research institutes
Institute for Molecules and Materials
IMM is an interdisciplinary research institute in chemistry and physics. The mission of IMM is to perform fundamental research to understand, design, and control the functioning of molecules and materials and to train the next generation of leaders in science and entrepreneurship at the highest international standards. In close collaboration with the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), research within the IMM aims to unravel the fundamental properties of biomolecules in complex environments. During your Master’s, you’ll experience this interplay in the lectures and internships.
Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences
The Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences is a leading interfaculty research institute of the Faculty of Science (Radboud University) and of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (Radboudumc). Integrating the scientific expertise of both molecular and medical sciences, RIMLS aims to achieve a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms of disease. Research areas from RIMLS-Faculty of Science include epigenetics, stem cell and developmental biology, and bioinformatics.
Radboud Institute for Health Sciences
The Radboud Institute for Health Sciences aims to translate early biomedical discoveries into applied clinical practice and public health. The themes cover various diseases, such as cancer, movement disorders and inflammatory diseases.
Research groups
The Master’s specialisation in Chemistry of Life is closely linked to several research departments within the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM). Research at IMM is focused on three closely connected themes, supported by the unique research facilities:
Theme 1: Structure and Dynamics of Molecules
Theme 2: Chemistry of Complex Systems
Theme 3: Spectroscopy of Quantum Materials
The Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM) has 25 research groups, from fundamental interactions between molecules, the chemistry of complex life-like molecular systems to the properties of matter emerging from quantum effects. Below you’ll get an impression of the most relevant departments for your internships. Or click the button below for an overview of IMM research groups and internships related to Chemistry of Life.
Physical-Organic Chemistry
The Physical-Organic Chemistry department aims to create a synthetic cell. Key questions that need to be addressed are: how do we control the complexity of the multitude of chemical reactions in the cell? What is the crucial difference between living and non-living systems.
Biomolecular Chemistry
The research carried out in this department is aimed at a better understanding of cellular stress and autoimmunity at the molecular level. Specific molecular features like protein unfolding and aggregation and post-translational modifications play crucial roles in these phenomena.
Synthetic Organic Chemistry
The group focuses on the development of new and sustainable synthetic (multistep) reactions by using bio-, organo- or metal-catalysts or combinations thereof, synthesis of druglike compound libraries, synthesis of bio-orthogonal click-reactions and chemical synthesis in continuous flow microreactors.
Research facilities
The experimental research facilities at IMM are large scale national and sometimes international multi-user centres. Several are combined in the Nijmegen Centre for Advanced Spectroscopy (IMM-NCAS), an International User Facility for fundamental and applied science under the supervision of IMM.
Magnetic Resonance Research Center
The focus of the MRRC research center is the development and application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods that enable the study of local structure and dynamics in functional materials. Located in the Goudsmit Pavilion, the laboratory houses eight NMR spectrometers for both liquid- and solid-state NMR research up to 850 MHz.
Mass Spectrometry
The Technology Center for Mass Spectrometry offers high-level expertise in bioanalytical mass spectrometry combined with in-depth knowledge on biomedical and clinical applications, embedded in a cutting-edge clinical and fundamental research environment.