Combinatorial Chemistry

At the start of the programme combinatorial chemistry in the Netherlands was hardly incorporated into academic research and teaching. This has caused the Netherlands to fall behind in fundamental strategic knowledge and the required number of highly trained researchers. The goal of the programme is therefore to promote combinatorial chemistry at an academic level resulting in, among other things, the integration of this technology into the training of (future) researchers. Within the programme 10 projects were awarded. The programme has a total budget of 3.4 million euro and is financed by NWO, NWO Division Chemical Sciences, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and industries (DSM, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Organon).

Combinatorial chemistry is the technology that enables the production of many new substances in the progress of one process; in the past only one substance could be made at a time. The new substances can then be screened for their desired structure, (biological) activity or other desired qualities. This technology satisfies the need of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry for a process that in a short period of time allows many different substances to be synthesised and screened for qualities needed to develop new products.

When can be applied

It is no longer possible to submit applications.

Extra Information

From 17 to 19 November 2003 the NWO/ACC workshop Combinatorial Chemistry and High Throughput Experimentation was held in Amsterdam with more than 130 participants from the academic as well as the industrial world. The occasion for the workshop was the start of the projects in the NWO programme Combinatorial Chemistry. The workshop gave the researchers connected with these projects an excellent survey of the latest developments in the field and the opportunity to discuss their work with the main experts in their field. An account of this meeting is available.