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AIMMS is VU Amsterdam’s molecular research accelerator

Kickstarting the next big breakthroughs in food, pharma and the environment.

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What do we do?

We design and make molecules
We measure and monitor molecules
We understand and control molecules
and their interactions

Research Domains

Food

At the forefront of helping the much-needed transition from animal-based to plant-based protein

Pharma

Discovering drugs for currently incurable diseases or to replace current therapies with more affordable/efficient alternatives.

Environment

Understanding how different man-made chemicals and waste streams are affecting the health of ecosystems and humans alike.

220

+
Molecular scientists from VU

3

Core Faculties: Biology, Chemistry, Environment & Life Science

30

+
Research expertise areas
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Entrepreneurship

Cleaning Up CMV: AIMMS Scientist Raimond Heukers on Building Vunthera

Raimond Heukers is on a mission to disarm a silent viral hitchhiker that half of us carry around without ever noticing it. Together with his…
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Research

Crispr-Cas9: Breakthroughs Inspiring AIMMS Research

Crispr-Cas9 turns genes back on without cutting DNA There’s a cool new twist in the CRISPR story. A team at UNSW Sydney and St. Jude…
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Entrepreneurship

Microbiologist Remco Kort on Citizen Science & Healthy Microbiomes 

Remco Kort has worked on several citizen science projects that pull research out of the lab and into people’s daily lives and kitchens.  As a…
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Entrepreneurship

Spin-Off Story: From Gut-Brain Axis to the “Happy Bar”

Remco Kort is a Microbiologist and involved in spin‑off activities that translate microbiome science into tangible products.  Together with several partners he launched a biotech…

AIMMS’s role in Drug Development

The VU Campus and Amsterdam UMC form an exceptional ecosystem. No other Dutch campus offers this density and integration. This covers the entire value chain—from molecule to medicine.

Everything is physically clustered and synchronized with national and EU innovation priorities. This is not a virtual network—it is a walkable drug discovery engine.

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Partner with us

Help us shape the future

AIMMS is looking for companies who want to foster faster scientific breakthroughs thanks to the power of dynamic collaborations & partnerships. 

We have rockstar scientists ready to tackle complex societal issues. 

  • Promote your technology or service through curated opportunities to connect with scientists and prospective partners
  • Showcase your lab equipment or new technologies through applied scientific challenges
  • Discover top talent for future projects or roles

Interested in learning more? Contact Sjoerd Vluegels at s.w.a.vleugels@vu.nl

Featured AIMMS Content

A VU-UT Challenge: Molecules for Society

The VU-UT Molecules for Society Challenge is a 6 month challenge where the winning team will be put forward to submit an NWO grant and to present at the festival.
Mixed teams were built with expertise areas including but not limited to physical chemistry, bioinformatics, cell biology, molecular biology, electrophysiology, pharmacology, electrochemistry, biochemistry, NMR, mass spectroscopy, optical imaging and spectroscopy, data science.

Collaborators include:

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AIMMS News

Meet our scientists:
Jeroen Kool

Our Meet the Scientist series asks our amazing AIMMS talent to step away from their experiments and tell us more about themselves. From impact they want to make to their favorite hobbies, this is your chance to learn more about these inspiring minds and then talk further at the festival.

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AIMMS News

Ivana Drienovská receives Vidi Funding for Sustainable Research

Chemist Ivana Drienovská receives the Vidi for her research Greening Our World: Unlocking Enzymatic Solutions for the Fluorination Reaction. “By combining our expertise in enzyme biocatalysis and the use of non-canonical amino acids as catalytic residues, we aim to pioneer a greener solution to this complex chemical transformation”, says Ivana”.

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AIMMS News

Microbiologist Edith Houben and team secure €10M ERC Synergy Grant

A team led by microbiologist Edith Houben at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has secured an ERC Synergy Grant, worth over €10 million, to study tuberculosis bacterium’s type VII secretion systems (T7SSs). T7SSs are molecular machines that help pathogenic mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria causing TB, to infect humans and to compete with other bacteria. Despite their critical role in mycobacterial diseases, the mechanisms behind T7SSs are not well understood.

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About AIMMS Academy

What is the AIMMS Academy?

At the AIMMS Academy researchers, students, and external professionals can develop their skills and expand their knowledge.

 

We believe in learning together: our commitment lies in advancing both individual growth and collective progress. We offer a range of courses and can build a bespoke course based on your needs.

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AIMMS Talent

Discover new talent

AIMMS Match is a unique program designed to foster meaningful connections between scientists and industry professionals through the PhD poster sessions. Getting to know the PhDs through their work is a great way to learn about them. If you want to know more, you’ll have opportunities to book time to meet each other. This program leverages a curated matchmaking process to bring likeminded talent together.

About us

Where solutions start