The living cell as a model for efficient production.

We are curious, inventive and eager to learn from nature. We find ways to produce new medicines, for example. Or better and smarter ways to treat wastewater. Our model is the living cell, which can be compared to a very efficient factory. We want to learn everything there is to know about it.

Industry uses an increasing range of microorganisms to produce food, medicines, and materials and other complex substances. These three product groups must all meet high quality standards, while remaining affordable. Using nature as a basis makes good sense since these single-cell organisms contain all the secrets needed to produce, or break down, complex chemical compounds. Fungus cells represent an exceptional “factory”. The penicillin they produce helps to save human lives. Another smart “cell factory” is bakers yeast, which can be used to make bread rise but also to produce a range of interesting flavouring agents and alcohol, which will soon be a clean fuel for cars! We discovered the bacteria Anammox, another unique “cell factory” which can be used to remove nitrogen from wastewater quickly and cheaply. Unravelling the biochemical processes in the cell gives us an understanding of this unique machinery, which can be visualised as the conveyor belts in a factory. To understand this complex factory fully, we produce mathematical models, which help us to put new knowledge into practice faster. Our challenge is to learn as much as possible from nature. In-depth knowledge of the “cell factory” is our key to innovation, and advances our ability to care for Society.

Flyer DRC-LST (pdf)

5th DRC-LST / BSDL Symposium 2009
4 November 2009 - Aula Conference Centre TU Delft
Chairman: prof. Han de Winde
Read more: www.symp09.bt.tudelft.nl 

4th DRC-LST / BSDL Symposium 2008
29 October 2008 - Aula Conference Centre TU Delft.
Chairman: prof. Fred Hagen.
Read more: www.symp08.bt.tudelft.nl 

3rd DRC-LST / BSDL Symposium 2007
31 October 2007 - Aula Conference Centre TU Delft.
Chairman: prof. Han de Winde.
Read more: www.symp07.bt.tudelft.nl 

2nd DRC-LST / BSDL Symposium 2006
1 November 2006 - Aula Conference Centre TU Delft.
Chairmen: prof. Han de Winde + prof. Wilfred Hagen. 
Read more: www.symp06.bt.tudelft.nl 

1st DRC-LST / BSDL Symposium 2005
The 1st DRC-LST / BSDL Symposium on 2 November 2005 in the Aula Conference Centre of the TU Delft has been very successfully. Chairman prof. Gijs Kuenen welcomed more than 150 participants who discussed on topics brought forward by the 5 speakers form Delft, Leiden and Wageningen and by the 75 exhibited posters.
Programme of the symposium (pdf)
Photos of the symposium

Participating groups in the DRC-LST:

- Department of Biotechnology (Faculty of Applied Sciences)

- Quantitative Imaging Group (Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Imaging Science and Technology)

- Information and Communication Theory Group / Bioinformatics (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Department of Mediamatics)