Welcome to the Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group

Utrecht University
Faculty of Science
Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group
Padualaan 8
3584 CH Utrecht
The Netherlands

the members of the group
May 2009

Utrecht University
Faculty of Science
Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group
Padualaan 8
3584 CH Utrecht
The Netherlands

Although the mass spectrometry activities at Utrecht University date back to 1948 a major impetus was given to the group in 1998 by the appointment of a full chair in Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry; Albert J. R. Heck.

The Heck-group, which consists at present of around 40 people, is embedded is the Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research of the Department of Chemistry, and in the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Department of Pharmacy.
In line with the research themes of these research schools the core research themes of the Heck-group is in the development of mass spectrometric methods applicable to the structural characterization of biomolecular systems, in relation to their biological function.
Present activities are concentrated in two major areas;
- Mass spectrometry based proteomics
- Mass spectrometry based structural biology

The group houses an excellent array of state-of-the-art mass spectrometers (FT-ICR, Q-ToF’s, MALDI ToF-ToF, ion trap, ESI-ToF), combined with extensive protein and peptide separation methods (2D-gel, DiGE, HPLC, nano-HPLC, chip-based ESI, chip-based LC, SPR, LC-MALDI, scanners) and plays an important role in the Netherlands Proteomics Centre.
Within this Netherlands Proteomics Centre the group focuses on the development of innovative proteomics techniques to improve protein expression quantification, the analysis of membrane proteins, protein post-translational modifications, protein network and alternative protein and peptide separation methods.

In addition, the group has a world-renown expertise in the analysis of protein-ligand, protein-protein and protein-DNA analysis by mass spectrometry. Therefore, dedicated mass spectrometers and LC methods have been and are developed allowing the analysis of the structure and function of protein machineries.

Of all the people working in the group about 60% is Dutch. The international flavor of the group is evident from the students and post-docs in the group that come from, Germany, the UK, France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Portugal and Malaysia.

For members only