M. Honing
Prof. Dr. Maarten Honinggroup is full professor “Analytics in System Imaging” at the University of Maastricht, and his research if dedicated to the design and development new mass spectrometry-based methodologies for the time and molecular structure resolved imaging of (bio)chemical & biological conversion reactions. This includes the hyphenation of advance MS and Ion Mobility Technologies to e.g. flow-reactors (bio-catalysis) and Organ-on-the-Chip technologies. The second research line is handling with the understanding of material-biology interactions; the biological fate of polymer based biomedical devices or the biological effect induced by specific materials properties. Technologies including MS imaging and Surface Plasmon Resonance are amongst a variety of analytical technologies. He has an special interest in gas- and condensed phase ionization processes (gas-phase chemistry), molecule-molecule interactions and imaging of molecular conversions (metabolic pathways) in the milli-second time frame. Linking molecular modelling and ion mobility, or understanding the fate of short living reactive metabolites form together with the fundamentals of bio-catalysis some application areas the research group is interested in. He collaborates with various industrial and academic partners.
He has an ample experience in the design of analytical strategies, which already is clear form his “dual” Master research project at the University of Amsterdam and the VU University focused on the gas-phase reactivity of thio-enlolate anions with FT-ICR and on-line post-column derivatization reactor for the detection of 1,25 dihydroxy-VitD3 in LC-MS [1]. Granted an EU grant and performing research at the CSIC-CID Institute in Barcelona (Spain), he received his PhD at the VU University of Amsterdam, with the title “Study of LC-MS interfacing techniques for the determination of carbamate pesticides”. Before his current position, as from September 2011 he was extraordinary prof. “Analytics in Drug Discovery” at the VU University and scientific director at DSM Resolve after over 15 years managing various analytical R&D laboratories in pharmaceutical R&D (Medicinal & process Chemistry); developing new toolboxes for the assessment of Molecular Structure – bioactivity and properties relationships. These included small molecules, peptides, lipids, proteins and synthetic polymers.
He has gained a fundamental knowledge of photon induced activation of drug molecules (photo toxicity assessment in drug discovery) and process analytical technologies (Caprolactam, Upscaling API production) and the application of MS, NMR and other spectroscopic technologies for the absolute structural characterization of small molecules, peptides, and larger synthetic and bio-polymers. In addition, he has an ample experience with the definition of “analytical technologies for the quality monitoring of multistep (> 55 industrial synthesis steps) synthesis and down-stream purification of e.g. penta-saccharides (Idraparinux) and caprolactam. Within the TI-Pharma program he has successfully led the D2-102 project with its main objective in the design and utilization of “technology screening platforms” for the classification of lead libraries. During the validation process, it has shown it added value, by the discovery of two new, not previously described compounds. Recently, he was granted an EFRO OPZuid grant (3 Meuro) for the design of a new Master track at the University Maastricht next to the design of new hyphenated screening platforms based on the TIPharma D2-1023 technologies. In addition, he acts project lead for the Euregio Interreg Eurlipids project, chairs the program council CNT&D of the Topsector chemistry and been member of the NWO-NCI PPS council.
