Tom de Greef leads pioneering research programs at the interface of synthetic biology, molecular computing, and engineered living systems. At the Centre of Living Technologies, we develop emergent technologies based on biological principles, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in biological computing, DNA-based data storage, and engineered cellular systems.

Research Vision
Our research group focuses on developing next-generation living technologies that bridge the gap between synthetic biology, chemistry, and computer science. We are particularly interested in how molecular systems can be programmed to process information, store data, and perform complex tasks. This interdisciplinary approach allows us to tackle fundamental questions while developing practical applications in biotechnology and materials science.

Key Research Areas:
- Biological Computing Devices: Developing programmable molecular systems capable of information processing and computation
- DNA-based Digital Data Storage: Creating innovative solutions for long-term data storage using DNA as a medium
- Engineered Living Materials: Designing smart materials with life-like properties and functionalities
- Synthetic Cell Engineering: Building artificial cells and cellular networks for applications in biotechnology
- Digital Chemistry: Advancing chemical synthesis through computational approaches and automation
- Protocell Communication: Engineering synthetic cell-like systems capable of information processing and communication

Research Impact & Recognition:
- Published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals including Nature, Nature Chemistry, and Nature Nanotechnology
- Multiple prestigious grants including ERC Starting, Consolidator, and PoC grants
- Recipient of the 2017 Cram-Lehn-Pedersen Prize in Supramolecular Chemistry
- VICI, VIDI, and VENI laureate
- Regular speaker at international conferences and symposia

Leadership & Collaboration:
- Founding member of the Centre of Living Technologies (https://livingtechnologies.ewuu.nl/)
- Principal Investigator leading a large research group TU/e.
- Successful supervision of >15 PhD students and multiple postdocs
- Core member of the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS)
- Member of the Young Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Fellow of the Netherlands Academy of Engineering.
- Extensive collaboration network with leading academic institutions

Tom de Greef studied Biomedical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e, the Netherlands), where he received his MSc degree cum laude in 2004. He then started his PhD research at the TU/e department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, where he graduated in 2009 on a thesis on novel polymeric materials based on quadruple hydrogen-bonding motifs, supervised by professors E. W. (Bert) Meijer and Rint Sijbesma. He subsequently moved to the Computational Biology group at the TU/e department of Biomedical Engineering (TU/e) headed by Prof. Peter Hilbers, for postdoctoral research on self-assembling systems from a computational perspective. In 2010, he became assistant professor, in 2016 associate professor and in 2022 he was promoted to full professor Synthetic Biology. In 2013, Tom de Greef was a visiting scholar in the group of Prof. David Weitz at Harvard University (Cambridge, USA), working on protein affinity screening using droplet microfluidics.

In 2012 and 2013 the Netherlands Organization of Scientific Research (NWO) awarded him a VENI grant and an ECHO-STIP grant, respectively. He received an ERC Starting Grant in 2015, an NWO VIDI grant in 2016, an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2020 and an NWO VICI grant in 2023. Tom de Greef is a core member of the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) and a founding member of the Institute for Living Technologies. He is a founding member of the Eindhoven Young Academy of Engineering and a member of De Jonge Akademie since 2019. He received the 2017 Cram Lehn Pedersen prize in supramolecular chemistry, the 2022 Groundbreaking TU/e researcher award and in 2018 he was awarded a Microsoft PhD scholarship for the development of micromaterials for DNA datastorage.

Synthetic biology can help address key challenges facing the planet and its population. Research in synthetic biology may lead to new technologies such as programmed cells that self-assemble at the sites of disease to repair damage.