Personal information
Dr. Isabelle Kohler
Assistant professor
Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry

Research
Isabelle’s work focuses on bioanalysis, metabolomics, and forensic and clinical toxicology. She investigates the pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics of drugs and their metabolites and develops advanced mass-spectrometry methods for their detection in drug material, biological matrices, and environmental samples. Her research combines fundamental analytical chemistry with applied questions relevant to public health and personalized medicine. She collaborates with the Trimbos Institute, the Dutch Police, and colleagues at the Universidad de Granada and the University of Almería on projects involving the analysis of new psychoactive substances and the effect of physical exercise on the metabolome.

Teaching
Isabelle teaches in the Masters Chemistry track Analytical Sciences (VU/UvA) and in the Drug Discovery and Safety programme (VU). She serves as Track Coordinator for Analytical Sciences and as a member of the Examination Board of the Master Chemistry. Her teaching focuses on the development and use of bioanalytical methods for diverse applications. She obtained her University Teaching Qualification (BKO) in 2019, and her dedication to teaching was recognized through a nomination for the Leiden University Faculty of Sciences Teaching Award.

Other important information / grants / group information / other activities
Isabelle is one of the PhD Candidate Advisors for the Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, supporting doctoral candidates in academic development and well-being. She founded NextMinds, which provides training and coaching for early-career researchers. Her contributions to the scientific community have been recognized in The Analytical Scientist’s Power List (2022, 2025). She writes regularly for C2W International and is active on LinkedIn, where she shares insights and resources for young scientists. Her earlier career includes receiving the Swiss Young Researcher Award in Analytical Chemistry and completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Leiden University Medical Center.

More information can be found on my Research Portal Profile.

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