On September 15 2025, Zeynep successfully defended her thesis ! With this accomplishment, Zeynep finished her PhD project on the interdisciplinary study of using Kdo to label and perturb LPS biosynthesis, with Dirk-Jan Scheffers as the second promotor. It was a lively and very insightful defense, with questions spanning many domains, including organic [...]
The Walvoort Team gave a strong presence at the annual Dutch Chemistry conference CHAINS in Veldhoven (3-4 Dec 2024)! PhD students Elisa, Yu-Jen and Wanting all presented a poster, and Marthe gave a keynote lecture for a packed auditorium.
Pushpa successfully defended her thesis on November 12 2024! With Patrick van der Wel and Marthe as two very proud supervisors, and a diverse committee from various backgrounds driving good discussions, it was a great achievement and the crown to a great collaboration between polysaccharide and solid-state NMR experts. Well done Pushpa! [...]
SlimSmullen goes live! Partly financed by the NWA-WECOM grant, Marthe launched a non-profit platform where people can find information about sugars. It will also contain a teaching package for elementary schools where kids will experiment with sugar-free baking. Check it out! slimsmullen.nl
Marthe received a NWA WECOM science communication grant of EUR 50k, for the project 'Samen Sterk voor Slim Smullen'! With a large consortium of researchers with expertise in health, nutrition, and citizen science, and in close collaboration with experts in science communication and school teachers, she will kick-start a project to develop learning [...]
Michela successfully defended her thesis on July 5 2024! With a diverse committee of experts and family and friends present in the Aula, it was a very good final discussion in a great project on exopolysaccharides. It was a great defense, well done Michela! [...]
Marthe represented the RUG at the Universiteit van Nederland Theatertour, and delivered an interactive lecture on sugars on the stage of theaters in Leeuwarden, Utrecht, Sneek, Naaldwijk, and Zoetermeer!
Zeynep represented the Walvoort Group at the KNCV-SOC Lunteren symposium, where she presented a poster on the synthesis and biological evaluation of Kdo analogs.
Liubov successfully defended her thesis on July 6! With the relaxed COVID-19 regulations, we were able to have part of the committee, the paranymphs and audience present. It was a great defense, well done Liubov!
On June 10, 11, 17 and 18, the Summer Course Glycosciences took place - online! Marthe gave the opening lecture, with a thorough introduction on carbohydrates, followed by four days of lectures, exercises, poster sessions, and virtual interactions.
