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Associate professors

Staff
Dr. D. (David) Dubbeldam

Computational Chemistry

In 2010 I joined HIMS and in 2011 I received an NWO-VIDI grant to start up a group working on the modeling of metal-organic frameworks. My current position is associate professor in the computational chemistry group. My research focusses on developing next-generation multifunctional porous materials for adsorption and catalysis applications. Target applications include separations, air purification, carbon capture, energy storage, chemical sensing, and catalysis. I published 4 book chapters, 7 review articles, and (co-)authored over 140 peer-reviewed articles on a variety of topics: lattice gases, lattice Boltzmann; adsorption, diffusion, and catalysis in nanoporous materials. I am main author of the RASPA and iRASPA software packages that are in use by thousands of researchers.

Dr. ir. B. (Bernd) Ensing

Computational chemistry

I joined HIMS as a postdoc in the Computational Chemistry group with an NWO-Vidi grant in 2007, became assistant professor in 2010, and was promoted to associate professor in 2015. My research interest revolves around development and application of multiscale modeling techniques to simulate complex chemical processes, such as signal transduction, enzymatic conversions, bio-inspired catalysis, and electrochemistry. Since 2019, I am also director of the FNWI AI4Science Laboratory, which is concerned with the development and application of machine learning algorithms for scientific data generated in the different science institutes.

Dr. M.A. (Tati) Fernández Ibáñez

Synthesis & Catalysis / Organic synthesis

In 2015, I started my adventure at HIMS as an Assistant Professor (Tenure Track). I received several grants in this period such as NWO-VIDI grant and NWO-LIFT grant together with the researcher from DSM Chem Tech R&D B.V. My research interests focus on the development of new catalytic methodologies for the synthesis of highvalue chemicals and materials. At present, I am mainly dealing with the discovery of new catalytic systems for the direct and selective functionalization of inert C-H bonds. Besides this, I am member of the Backer Prize Committee for selecting the best organic chemistry thesis in The Netherlands annually and board member of the Women in FNWI (WiF).

Dr. S. (Stefania) Grecea

Synthesis & Catalysis / Functional materials

I joined HIMS in 2009 as a postdoc, appointed as assistant professor in 2011 and promoted to associate professor in 2018. Since 2020, I lead the Functional Materials group which focuses on the synthetic design of inorganic and hybrid inorganicorganic materials for applications in molecular separations, chemical sensing, catalysis and as proton conductive membranes for fuel cells. I received several NWO grants as PI and co-PI (NWO-Veni, Van Gogh, Mat4Sus, ZonMw) to pursue research in the field of functional materials. My ambition is to design molecular materials involving interplay and synergy between multiple physical properties and to integrate them in single device components that can perform more than one task.

I am an associate professor and joined HIMS in 2005 after being part of the Institute of Mass Spectrometry at the University of Amsterdam. My activities include educational management, structure analysis with spectrometric methods, research in gas-phase ion chemistry, spectroscopy of gaseous ions, and organic synthesis. My current research interest is focused on the development of novel chiral catalysts based on the privileged structure of the cinchona alkaloids, organocatalytic Pictet- Spengler reactions, and asymmetric synthesis of biologically active tetrahydroisoquinolines.

Dr. F. (Francesco) Mutti

Synthesis & Catalysis / Biocatalysis

In July 2015, I joined HIMS with a tenure-track as the group leader of Biocatalysis group. This year, I successfully completed the track and I am currently associate professor at HIMS. I was recipient of European grants (Marie Curie fellowship, ERC Starting Grant), national Dutch grant (NWO-Echo, TKI) and other international fellowships for PhD students (CSC, MIUR). I have published over 50 research articles including publications in Science, Nat. Catal., Nat. Commun., JACS, Angew. Chem., Green Chem., several book chapters and five world patents. My research interests lie at the interface between chemical and biological sciences with focus on fundamental studies of enzyme catalysis and mechanism; enzyme engineering; the development of multi-enzymatic cascades either in batch or in flow for the sustainable manufacturing of chemical products; and synthetic biochemistry in vivo.

Dr. N.R. (Shiju Raveendran) Shiju

Synthesis & Catalysis/ Catalysis engineering

I joined HIMS in 2009 as assistant professor after postdoctoral stays in UK and USA. In 2016 I became Associate Prof. I am working in the area catalytic processes for commercially important chemical transformations. I won the Amsterdam Science Park Ideas Prize for the discovery of a new catalyst in 2010 and received Emerging Investigator award (nano-structured materials) by ICNM. One of my patents was sold to DSM Fibre Intermediates B.V. in 2012. I obtained national and European grants in the areas of CO2 conversion, specialty chemicals and biomass conversion. I am a member of the editorial board of the journals Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry and FlatChem and also a board member of the Dutch Zeolite Association and Biobased world news.com advisory board.

Dr. J.C. (Chris) Slootweg

Synthesis & Catalysis / Sustainable Main-group Chemistry

I was promoted to associate professor in 2014 at VU Amsterdam, elected as best (junior) lecturer of the Faculty of Sciences in 2015, and moved to HIMS in February 2017. My research focuses on small molecule activation (CH4, CO2, N2, …), functionalization using main-group / organic compounds and the development of sustainable phosphorus chemistry using P-waste as a resource, all aimed at the synthesis of valuable compounds using inexpensive resources. To aid the design and synthesis, I apply the full gamut of physical organic chemistry tools together with computational chemistry as invaluable, predictive models to analyze the processes in great depth. To pursue these scientific goals, I received NWO-TALENT, VIDI and VICI personal grants as well as several PPP grants, and have coordinated the Marie Curie ITN SusPhos.

Dr J. (Jocelyne) Vreede

Computational Chemistry

In 2006 I joined HIMS as a postdoc working on conformational transitions in light receptors using molecular simulation. I became an assistant professor in 2011, focusing on applying advanced simulation methods to investigate biologically relevant processes in proteins and DNA, in close collaboration with various experimental groups. I received several grants from NWO. Currently, I am investigating how proteins detect external signals such as ions, as well as how they pass on and amplify information in biological signal transduction pathways. With a recent NWO-Klein-2 grant I am now looking into the molecular mechanisms of DNA organization with implications for transcription and replication.

Prof. H. (Hong) Zhang

Molecular Photonics

As an associate professor at HIMS, my group focuses on developing functional photonic nanomaterials and nanoplatforms for biomedical applications. As the basis of functional design unravelling the fundamental microscopic interactions in photonic nanosystems is one key aspect of our research. I am also professor at Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics, Physics (State Key Lab of Luminescence and Applications)/Chinese Academy of Sciences, chair professor at Northeast Normal University and advisor of State Key Lab of Rare Earth Utilization of China. In these years I have been coordinating the collaborative research of UvA, LUMC, State Ley Lab of Luminescence and Applications, and industrial partners on novel photonic nanoplatforms for cancer treatment.