Tom van der Wel aims to develop new chemical-genetic techniques to study the enzyme family of phosphodiesterases. Using a combination of chemical biology, proteomics and genetic techniques (CRISPR/Cas9, base editing), he investigates the function of these enzymes and their therapeutic potential to treat cancer and neurodegeneration.

More information about Tom van der Wel

Curriculum Vitae

Personal information

Nationality:   Dutch
Date of birth:   6 May 1991

Education

2020   PhD, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands, 22 January 2020. Thesis title: “Chemical genetic approaches for target validation”
Advisors: Prof. M. van der Stelt, Prof. H.S. Overkleeft, Dr. T. Barf.
2014   MSc in Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands
2012   BSc in Life Science & Technology, Leiden University & TU Delft, The Netherlands

Current and previous research positions

2023 – now    Assistant Professor, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands
2020 – 2023   Postdoctoral researcher, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University (Prof. M. van der Stelt)

Grants, awards, recognitions since 2016

2019    Best presentation award FIGON Dutch Medicines Days (Leiden, The Netherlands)
2018    Poster award EMBL Chemical Biology (Heidelberg, Germany)

Contribution to teaching and supervision

• Course for BSc Life Science & Technology at Leiden University & TU Delft: Chemische Biologie

(Co-)supervision of 2 PhD students.

Publication record including recent representative publications

20 papers with >550 citations, H-index 9 (Web of Science)

Full publication record: Leiden University

• van der Wel, T. et al. Chemical genetics strategy to profile kinase target engagement reveals role of FES in neutrophil phagocytosis. Nat. Commun. 11, 1–20 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17027-5
• Berger, N. et al. Inhibition of diacylglycerol lipase β modulates lipid and endocannabinoid levels in the ex vivo human placenta. Front. Endocrinol. 14, (2023). DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1092024
• Gagestein, B. et al. Comparative Photoaffinity Profiling of Omega-3 Signaling Lipid Probes Reveals Prostaglandin Reductase 1 as a Metabolic Hub in Human Macrophages. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 18938–18947 (2022). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c06827
• Mock, E. D. et al. Discovery of a NAPE-PLD inhibitor that modulates emotional behavior in mice. Nat. Chem. Biol. 16, 667–675 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-020-0528-7

Presentations including five presentations at international conferences since 2016

• Gordon Research Conference ‘Cannabinoid Function in the CNS’ (Ventura, USA, November 2021)
• EFMC-YMCS Young Medicinal Chemists’ Symposium (online, September 2020)
• FIGON Dutch Medicines Days (Leiden, The Netherlands, September 2019)
• Activity-based protein profiling symposium (Oxford, United Kingdom, March 2018)

Publications