Lab overview

Welcome!

Our group investigates the design and manufacture of self-assembled and crystalline materials using innovative approaches for process control, integration, and model-based optimization.

Meet our group members, read more about our research, browse our publications, check the news, or join us!

People

Richard Lakerveld

Richard Lakerveld

Principal Investigator

Email: r.lakerveld@ust.hk
Room: CYT2003
Phone: (852) 3469 2217

Richard Lakerveld is an Associate Professor and Associate Head in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He joined the CBE department of HKUST in October 2014 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2020. He was an Assistant Professor at Delft University of Technology for 2 years before joining the faculty of HKUST. Prior to that, he worked for 2 years as Postdoctoral Associate at the Process Systems Engineering Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the group of Paul Barton. At MIT, he worked on plant-wide control of continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing and on optimal control of directed self-assembly. He received his chemical engineering education from Delft University of Technology where he obtained both his MSc (with honors track) and PhD degree cum laude. His PhD research involved the development of a task-based design approach for solution crystallization processes under supervision of Johan Grievink, Peter Jansens, and Herman Kramer. Furthermore, he was the recipient of an NWO Veni Award in 2013, which is an early career award from the Dutch Science Foundation. His other personal awards include a VNCI award, the Novartis-MIT Enabling Control System Award, and five GRF Awards from Hong Kong's Science Foundation, which are competitive personal grants aimed at supporting cutting-edge research. He also received the School of Engineering Teaching Award for undegraduate teaching and was awarded the Best Teaching Award of the MSc CBME program. He is a member of the 2019 Class of Influential Researchers of the journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research and he is the Topic Coordinator in Pharmaceutical Engineering in the editorial board of Chemical Engineering Research and Design (Elsevier). His research interests are in the field of Process Systems Engineering with a focus on the design and manufacture of crystalline and self-assembled materials. When time permits, he likes to take his bike for a road trip or spend some time on the football pitch.

Jiatao Li

Jiatao Li

Postgraduate Student

Jiatao joined the Lakerveld Lab in September 2022. He completed his undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering and Technology at the Guangdong University of Technology, China. He worked on organic fluorescent materials during his undergraduate studies. Afterwards, he completed his Master degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at HKUST in 2022 where he worked on anti-solvent cocrystallization in the Lakerveld Lab. He is currently developing novel methods to design advanced crystalline drug formulations to mitigate low aqueous solubility. During the spare time, he likes watching movies, swimming, playing badminton, hiking, and enjoying delicacies.

Yunlong Wang

Yunlong Wang

Postgraduate Student

Yunlong joined the Lakerveld Lab in September 2022 as an MSc student. He graduated from Beijing University of Chemical engineering in 2019 with a Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering and Technology. Afterwards, he obtained his MSc degree from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in HKUST in early 2022 and was awarded with an entrance scholarship. He then joined the Lakerveld Lab as a PhD student in 2023. He is working on the modelling and control of MSMPR crystallizers. In his leisure time, he enjoys watching movies and swimming.

Rasmus Overgaard

Rasmus Overgaard

Postgraduate Student

Rasmus joined the Lakerveld Lab in September 2023. He completed his undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Southern Denmark (Denmark) in June 2023. During his undergraduate studies, he worked on a research project about nucleation kinetics and crystal characterization and spent a term as an undergraduate exchange student at the University of Waterloo (Canada). He is currently working on elucidating the effects of impurities on protein crystallization. During his free time, he enjoys travelling and exploring, watching football, and listening to music.

Alumni

Research

1. Pharmaceutical crystallization

Crystallization is a crucial unit operation for many chemical processes. For example, a well-designed crystallization process enables intermediate compounds and active pharmaceutical ingredients with a high purity and stable crystalline solid state to be separated and purified in a single step in the pharmaceutical industry. Intrinsic quality attributes of crystals such as solid-state form, shape, and size distribution typically have a substantial impact on downstream processing and final product efficacy. A long-standing challenge in the field is to design and operate industrial crystallizers in such a way that crystals with desired quality attributes are produced in a single step. Furthermore, the performance and sustainability of solution crystallization processes depends on the choice of solvents. Another challenge in the field is to select optimal mixtures of solvents, which not only support efficient crystallization, but also enable optimal and sustainable operation of the process as a whole including unit operations for reaction, extraction, and distillation. More recent challenges include alignment with data-driven concepts such as quality-by-design and an expanding scope of crystallization in pharmaceutical industry towards larger biopharmaceuticals. In our research group we exploit general concepts from process intensification and the current transition from batch to continuous manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry to address those challenges from a different angle.

EAF protein crystallization

Electric-field-assisted protein crystallization

design space crystallization

Model-based design spaces

integrated solvent and process design for crystallization

Integrated solvent and process design [27]

integrated spray drying and continuous crystallization

Integrated continuous manufacturing of carrier-free inhalable drugs [36]

novel tubular crystallizer

CFD analysis of a novel tubular crystallizer [45]

integration of crystallization and distillation

Continuous process optimization [38]

2. Control and optimization of directed self-assembly

Materials with nano- and micro-scale structures have important applications in many engineering disciplines such as tissue engineering, computing, diagnostics, advanced functional materials, and chemical processing. To obtain the desired functionality and to avoid defects, the manufacture of such materials requires precise control over the formation of tiny structural features. Self-assembly is the association of molecules or particles into structures driven by non-covalent interaction forces. Self-assembly has great potential as a manufacturing technology as it proceeds spontaneously and, if the interaction forces can be well controlled, it allows for up to molecular spatial resolution. Two general challenges can be identified when harnessing self-assembly as synthesis method for advanced materials. First, non-covalent interaction forces need to be designed such that the material is thermodynamically stable in the desired structure. Second, once a desired structure has been identified, a suitable assembly process needs to developed to guide the self-assembly process. We have addressed the former challenge in the area of self-assembled DNA tiles using a novel optimization-based approach. The latter challenge is generally complicated by the stochastic nature, tendency for kinetic trapping, and lack of actuation of self-assembly systems. External fields can be used to manipulate the self-assembly process; a process which is often referred to as ‘directed’ self-assembly. We have developed novel automated control strategies for directed self-assembly of colloidal particles in microfluidic devices using electric fields as actuators, which has been published in a series of papers.

automated control

Automated control of directed self-assembly

Lab on a Chip cover

Featured on Lab on a Chip cover

Publications

Recent Journal Publications (Google Scholar):

  1. Yuan, M.; Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R.; Chen, M.; Wang, T.; Wang, N.; Huang, X.; Hao, H. Advanced particle technologies in the preparation of dry powders for inhalation. Particuology. 2025, in press, DOI: 10.1016/j.partic.2025.04.007. (link)
  2. Chen, M.; Huang, X.; Lakerveld, R.; Yuan, M.; Zhang, Y.; Lamichhane, S.; Luo, Q.; Ren, J.; Wang, T.; Wang, N.; Hao, H. Computational fluid dynamics simulation of the hydrodynamic and particle suspension performance of a novel channel impeller. Powder Technol. 2025, 458, 120994. (link)
  3. Gupta, D.; Mak, A.T.C.; Lakerveld, R. Intensified Solid-State Transformation During Anti-Solvent Cocrystallization in Flow. Chem. Eng. Process. 2024, 208, 110108. (link)
  4. Wu*, H.; Xu*, X.; Wei, B.; Lakerveld, R. Entropy-Driven Self-Assembly of DNA Origami Isomers. Small Structures 2024, 5(12), 2400220. (link)
  5. Lo, P.S.; Nisar, M.; Lakerveld, R. Temperature Cycling Induced Deracemization of p-Synephrine in the Presence of Degradation. ASC Omega 2024, 9(40), 41936-41943.(link) [.pdf (open access)]
  6. Nyande, B.W.; Nagy, Z.K.; Lakerveld, R. Data-driven identification of crystallization kinetics. AIChE J. 2024, e18333.(link) [.pdf (open access)]
  7. Mendis, N.P.; Lakerveld, R. An In Vitro Model for Cocrystal Dissolution with Simultaneous Surface and Bulk Precipitation. Mol. Pharmaceutics 2023, 20(11), 5486–5499. (link)
  8. Mendis, N.P.; Li, J.; Lakerveld, R. Integrated Selection of Coformers, Solvents, and Operating Conditions for Optimal Process and Product Performance of Pharmaceutical Cocrystals. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2023, 62(33), 13081–13095. (link)
  9. Mendis, N.P.; Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. A Workflow for Crystallization Process Design with Simultaneous Process Optimization and Solvent Selection based on the Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory. Chem. Ing. Tech. 2023, 95(3), 334-343. (link)
  10. Gupta, D.; Nyande, B.W.; Mathew Thomas, K.; Li, F.; Mak, A.T.C.; Lakerveld, R. Induced-Charge Electroosmosis for Rapid Mixing of Reactive Precipitation Systems to Obtain Small and Uniform Particles. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 2023, 190, 715-729. (link)
  11. Wang, J.; Song, Z.; Lakerveld, R.; Zhou, T. Solvent Selection for Chemical Reactions toward Optimal Thermodynamic and Kinetic Performances: Group Contribution and COSMO-based Modeling. Fluid Phase Equilibria 2023, 564, 113623.(link) (Special Issue on Group contribution-based property prediction)
  12. Yi, Q.; Dai, X.; Park, B.M.; Gu, J.; Luo, J.; Wang, R.; Yu, C.; Kou, S.; Huang*, J.; Lakerveld*, R.; Sun*, F. Directed assembly of genetically engineered eukaryotic cells into living functional materials via ultrahigh-affinity protein interactions. Sci. Adv. 2022, 8(44), eade0073.(link) [.pdf (open access)] (* corresponding authors) (highlighted by The Scientist)(HKIE best paper award in materials 2023)
  13. Nyande, B.W.; Mathew Thomas, K.; Takarianto, A.A.; Lakerveld, R. Control of crystal size distribution in batch protein crystallization by integrating a gapped Kenics static mixer to flexibly produce seed crystals. Chem. Eng. Sci. 2022, 263, 118085.(link)
  14. Gao, Y.; Liu, K.; Lakerveld, R.; Ding, X. Staged Assembly of Colloids Using DNA and Acoustofluidics. Nano Lett. 2022, 22(17), 6907-6915.(link)
  15. Mendis, N.P.; Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. Simultaneous Solvent Selection and Process Design for Continuous Reaction–Extraction–Crystallization Systems. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2022, 61(31), 11504–11517. (link)
  16. Kwon, S.; Lakerveld, R. Impact of Cooling Profile on Batch Emulsion Solution Crystallization. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2022, 61(30), 11108–11115. (link) (Highlighted by OPR&D)
  17. Mathew Thomas*, K.; Nyande*, B.W.; Lakerveld, R. Design and Characterization of Kenics Static Mixer Crystallizers. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 2022, 179, 549-563. (link) (* contributed equally) (Editor's Choice; Special Issue on Advances in Continuous Crystallization)
  18. Wong, S.N.; Weng, J.; Ip, I.C.W.; Chen, R.; Lakerveld, R.; Blagden, N.; Scowen, I.J.; Chow, S.F. Rational Development of a Carrier-Free Dry Powder Inhalation Formulation for Respiratory Viral Infections via Quality by Design: A Drug-Drug Cocrystal of Favipiravir and Theophylline. Pharmaceutics. 2022, 14(2), 300. (link open access)
  19. Kwon, S.; Mathew Thomas, K.; Lakerveld, R. Integrated membrane emulsification and solution cooling crystallization to obtain a narrow and predictable crystal size distribution. Chem. Eng. Process. 2022, 171, 108751. (link)
  20. Xuan, B.; Chen, Y.C.S.; Wong, K.C.; Chen, R.; Lo, P.S.; Lakerveld, R.; Tong, H.H.Y.; Chow, S.F. Impact of cocrystal solution-state stability on cocrystal dissociation and polymorphic drug recrystallization during dissolution Int. J. Pharm. 2021, 610, 121239. (link)
  21. Kang, H.; Lin, T.; Xu, X.; Jia*, Q.S.; Lakerveld*, R.; Wei*, B. DNA dynamics and computation based on toehold-free strand displacement. Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 4994. (open access link) (* corresponding authors)
  22. Capdevila-Echeverria, J.; Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R.; Ter Horst, J.H. Process modeling and optimization of continuous chiral resolution by integration of membrane and crystallization technologies. J. Membr. Sci. 2021, 632, 119359. (link)
  23. Nyande*, B.W.; Mathew Thomas*, K.; Lakerveld, R. CFD Analysis of a Kenics Static Mixer with a Low Pressure Drop under Laminar Flow Conditions. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2021, 60(14), 5264–5277.(link) (* contributed equally)
  24. Mathew Thomas, K.; Kwon, S.; Lakerveld, R. Continuous Protein Crystallization in Mixed-Suspension Mixed-Product-Removal Crystallizers. Cryst. Growth Des. 2021, 21(2), 757-769.(link)
  25. Chen, R.; Weng, J.; Chow, S.F.; Lakerveld, R. Integrated Continuous Crystallization and Spray Drying of Insulin for Pulmonary Drug Delivery. Cryst. Growth Des. 2021, 21(1), 501–511. (link)
  26. Fajrial, A.K.; Liu, K.; Gao, Y.; Gu, J.; Lakerveld, R.; Ding, X. Characterization of Single-Cell Osmotic Swelling Dynamics for New Physical Biomarkers. Anal. Chem. 2021, 93(3), 1317-1325.(link)
  27. Wang, J.; Cao, W.; Zhu, L.; Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. Emulsion-assisted cooling crystallization of ibuprofen. Chem. Eng. Sci. 2020, 226, 115861.(link)
  28. Gao, Y.; Nyande, B.W.; Lakerveld, R. Open-loop control of directed self-assembly of colloidal particles in a microfluidic device. Comput. Chem. Eng. 2020, 139, 106837. (link)
  29. Wang, J.; Li, J.; Cao, W.; Zhu, L.; Lakerveld, R. An ion-specific electrolyte non-random two-liquid segment activity coefficient model with improved predictive capabilities for aqueous electrolyte solutions. Fluid Phase Equilibria 2020, 517(1), 112605.(link)
  30. Wang, J.; Zhu, L.; Lakerveld, R. A Hybrid Framework for Simultaneous Process and Solvent Optimization of Continuous Anti-Solvent Crystallization with Distillation for Solvent Recycling. Processes 2020, 8(1), 63-74.(link) (open-access) (Feature Paper)
  31. Mathew Thomas, K.; Lakerveld, R. An Airlift Crystallizer for Protein Crystallization. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2019, 58(44), 20381-20391.(link) (among the five most-read articles of the journal in November 2019)
  32. Hadiwinoto, G.D.; Kwok, P.C.L.; Tong, H.H.Y.; Wong, S.N.; Chow, S.F.; Lakerveld, R. Integrated Continuous Plug-Flow Crystallization and Spray Drying of Pharmaceuticals for Dry Powder Inhalation. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2019, 58(36), 16843-16857.(link) (Special issue featuring the 2019 class of influential researchers)
  33. Gao, Y.; Lakerveld, R. Feedback Control for Shaping Density Distributions of Colloidal Particles in Microfluidic Devices. Lab Chip 2019, 19(13), 2168-2177. (link)(highlighted on the Inside front cover)
  34. Weng, J.; Wong, S.N.; Xu, X.; Xuan, B.; Wang, C.; Chen, R.; Sun, C.C.; Lakerveld, R.; Kwok, P.C.L.; Chow, S.F. Cocrystal Engineering of Itraconazole with Suberic acid via Rotary Evaporation and Spray Drying. Cryst. Growth. Des. 2019, 19(5), 2736-2745. (link)
  35. Gao, Y.; Lakerveld, R. Gain Scheduling PID Control for Directed Self-assembly of Colloidal Particles in Microfluidic Devices. AIChE J. 2019, 65, e16582. (link)
  36. Khodadadian, F.; De La Garza, F.G.; Van Ommen, J. R.; Stankiewicz, A. I.; Lakerveld, R. The Application of Automated Feedback and Feedforward Control to a LED-based Photocatalytic Reactor. Chem. Eng. J. 2019, 362, 375-382. (link)
  37. Gao, Y.; Lakerveld, R. Feedback Control for Defect-free Alignment of Colloidal Particles. Lab Chip 2018, 18, 2099-2110. (link)
  38. Li, F.; Lakerveld, R. Electric-field-assisted protein crystallization in continuous flow. Cryst. Growth Des. 2018, 18(5), 2964-2971. (link)
  39. Wang, J.; Fei, L.; Lakerveld, R. Process Intensification for Pharmaceutical Crystallization. Chem. Eng. Process. 2018, 127, 111-126. (link)(Invited - Special Issue on Process Intensification for Advanced Materials Synthesis)(among the most read papers of the journal for 12+ months)
  40. Nisar, M.; Sung, H.H.Y.; Puschmann, H.; Lakerveld, R.; Haynes, R.; Williams, I.D. 11-Azaartemisinin cocrystals with preserved lactam: acid heterosynthons. CrystEngComm 2018, 20(9), 1205-1219. (link)(Inside cover)
  41. Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. Integrated Solvent and Process Design for Continuous Crystallization and Solvent Recycling using PC-SAFT. AIChE J. 2018, 64(4), 1205–1216. (link)
  42. Khodadadian, F.; De Boer, M.W.; Poursaeidesfahani, A.; Van Ommen, J. R.; Stankiewicz, A. I.; Lakerveld, R. Design, characterization and model validation of a LED-based photocatalytic reactor for gas phase applications. Chem. Eng. J. 2018, 333, 456-466. (link)
  43. Hadiwinoto, G.D.; Kwok*, P.C.L.; Lakerveld*, R. A review on recent technologies for the manufacture of pulmonary drugs. Ther. Deliv. 2017, 9(1), 47-70.(link)
  44. Li, F.; Lakerveld, R. The influence of alternating electric fields on protein crystallization in microfluidic devices with patterned electrodes in a parallel-plate configuration. Cryst. Growth Des. 2017, 17(6), 3062–3070. (link)
  45. Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. Continuous Membrane-Assisted Crystallization to Increase the Attainable Product Quality of Pharmaceuticals and Design Space for Operation. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2017, 56(19), 5705–5714.(link)
  46. Gao, Y.; Mi, Y.; Lakerveld, R. An optimization-based approach for structural design of self-assembled DNA tiles. AIChE J. 2017, 63(6), 1804-1817.(link)
  47. Mesbah, A.; Paulson, J.;Lakerveld, R.; Braatz, R.D. Model Predictive Control of an Integrated Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Pilot Plant. Org. Process Res. Dev. 2017, 21(6), 844–854. (link)
  48. Khodadadian, F.; Poursaeidesfahani, A.; Li, Z.; Van Ommen, J. R.; Stankiewicz, A. I.; Lakerveld, R. Model-based Optimization of a Photocatalytic Reactor with Light-Emitting Diodes. Chem. Eng. Technol. 2016, 39(10), 1946-1954. (link)

Before joining HKUST

  1. Kacker, R.; Salvador, P.M.; Sturm, G.S.J.; Stefanidis, G.D.; Lakerveld, R.; Nagy, Z.K.; Kramer, H.J.M. Microwave Assisted Direct Nucleation Control for Batch Crystallization: Crystal Size Control with Reduced Batch Time. Cryst. Growth Des. 2016, 16(1), 440-446. (link)
  2. Ramaswamy, S.; Lakerveld, R.; Barton, P.I.; Stephanopoulos, G. Controlled Formation of Nanostructures with Desired Geometries: Part 3. Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Directed Self-Assembly of Nanoparticles through Adaptive Finite State Projection. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2015, 54(16), 4371-4384. (link)
  3. Lakerveld, R.; Benyahia, B.; Heider, P.L.; Zhang, H.; Wolfe, A.; Testa, C.J.; Ogden, S.; Hersey, D.R.; Mascia, S.; Evans, J.M.B.; Braatz, R.D.; Barton, P.I. The application of an automated control strategy for an integrated continuous pharmaceutical pilot plant. Org. Process Res. Dev. 2015, 19(9), 1088-1100. (link)
  4. Lakerveld, R.; Van Krochten, J.J.H.; Kramer, H.J.M. An air-lift crystallizer can suppress secondary nucleation at a higher supersaturation compared to a stirred crystallizer. Cryst. Growth Des. 2014 , 14(7), 3264-3275. (link)
  5. Lakerveld, R.; Sturm, G.S.J.; Stankiewicz, A.I.; Stefanidis, G.D. Integrated design of microwave and photocatalytic reactors. Where are we now? Curr. Opin. Chem. Eng. 2014 5,37-41. (link)
  6. Zhang, H.; Lakerveld, R.; Heider, P.L.; Tao, M.; Su, M.; Testa, C.; D'Antonio, A.; Barton, P.I.; Braatz, R.D.; Trout, B.L.; Myerson, A.S.; Jensen, K.F.; Evans, J.M.B. Application of continuous crystallization in an integrated continuous pharmaceutical pilot plant. Cryst. Growth Des.  2014, 14(5), 2148-2157. (link)
  7. Heider, P.L.; Born, S.C.; Basak, S.; Benyahia, B.; Lakerveld, R.; Zhang, H.; Hogan, R.; Buchbinder, L.; Wolfe, A.; Mascia, S.; Evans, J.M.B.; Jamison, T.F.; Jensen, K.F. Development of a Multi-Step Synthesis and Workup Sequence for an Integrated, Continuous Manufacturing Process of a Pharmaceutical. Org. Process Res. Dev. 2014, 18(3), 402-4093. (within the Top 20 of most read articles of February 2014 in OPRD) (link)
  8. Lakerveld, R.; Benyahia, B.; Heider, P.L., Zhang, H.; Braatz, R.D.; Barton, P.I. Averaging Level Control to Reduce Off-Spec Material in a Continuous Pharmaceutical Pilot Plant. Processes 2013, 1(3), 330–348. (Feature paper)(link)
  9. Mascia, S.; Heider, P.L.; Zhang, H.; Lakerveld, R.; Benyahia, B.; Barton, P.I.; Braatz, R.D.; Cooney, C.L.; Evans, J.M.B.; Jamison, T.F.; Jensen, K.F.; Myerson, A.S.; Trout, B.L. End-to-End Continuous Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals: Integrated Synthesis, Purification, and Final Dosage Formation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52(47), 12359-12363. ('Hot' paper, highlighted in Nature) (link)
  10. Lakerveld, R.; Benyahia, B.; Braatz, R.D.; Barton, P.I. Model-based design of a plant-wide control strategy for a continuous pharmaceutical plant. AIChE J. 2013, 59(10), 3671–3685. (link)
  11. Lakerveld, R.; Stephanopoulos, G.; Barton, P. I. A master-equation approach to simulate kinetic traps during directed self-assembly. Journal of Chemical Physics 2012, 136 (18). (link)
  12. Soare, A.; Lakerveld, R.; van Royen, J.; Zocchi, G.; Stankiewicz, A. I.; Kramer, H. J. M. Minimization of Attrition and Breakage in an Airlift Crystallizer. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research. 2012, 51 (33), 10895-10909. (link)
  13. Benyahia, B.; Lakerveld, R.; Barton, P. I. A Plant-Wide Dynamic Model of a Continuous Pharmaceutical Process. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research. 2012, 51 (47), 15393-15412. (link)
  14. Lakerveld, R.; Verzijden, N. G.; Kramer, H.; Jansens, P.; Grievink, J. Application of Ultrasound for Start-Up of Evaporative Batch Crystallization of Ammonium Sulfate in a 75-L Crystallizer. AIChE Journal 2011, 57 (12), 3367-3377. (link)
  15. Lakerveld, R.; Kramer, H. J. M.; Stankiewicz, A. I.; Grievink, J. Application of generic principles of process intensification to solution crystallization enabled by a task-based design approach. Chemical Engineering and Processing 2010, 49 (9), 979-991.(link)
  16. Lakerveld, R.; Kuhn, J.; Kramer, H. J. M.; Jansens, P. J.; Grievink, J. Membrane assisted crystallization using reverse osmosis: Influence of solubility characteristics on experimental application and energy saving potential. Chemical Engineering Science 2010, 65 (9), 2689-2699.(link)
  17. Lakerveld, R.; Kramer, H. J. M.; Jansens, P. J.; Grievink, J. The application of a task-based concept for the design of innovative industrial crystallizers. Computers & Chemical Engineering 2009, 33 (10), 1692-1700.(link)
  18. Kuhn, J.; Lakerveld, R.; Kramer, H. J. M.; Grievink, J.; Jansens, P. J. Characterization and Dynamic Optimization of Membrane-Assisted Crystallization of Adipic Acid. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research. 2009, 48 (11), 5360-5369.(link)
  19. Lakerveld, R.; Bildea, C. S.; Almeida-Rivera, C. P. Exothermic isomerization reaction in a reactive flash: Steady-state behavior. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research. 2005, 44 (10), 3815-3822.(link)

Book chapters:

  1. Lakerveld, R.; Benyahia, B. Process Control. Chapter 4. The Handbook of Continuous Crystallization (editors: Nima Yazdanpanah & Zoltan Nagy), Royal Society of Chemistry, 2020, ISBN: 978-1788012140, (forthcoming: 21 February 2020).
  2. Stelzer, T.; Lakerveld, R.; Myerson, A.S. Process Intensification in Continuous Crystallization. Chapter 10. The Handbook of Continuous Crystallization (editors: Nima Yazdanpanah & Zoltan Nagy), Royal Society of Chemistry, 2020, ISBN: 978-1788012140, (forthcoming: 21 February 2020).
  3. Kramer, H.J.M.; Lakerveld, R. Selection and design of industrial crystallizers. Chapter 7 in Handbook of Industrial Crystallization, 3rd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2019, ISBN: 9781139026949.
  4. Lakerveld, R.; Control system implementation and plant-wide control of continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing pilot plant (end-to-end manufacturing process). Chapter 16 in Process Systems Engineering for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. Elsevier, 2018, ISBN: 978-0-444-63963-9.
  5. Lakerveld, R.; Heider, P. L.; Jensen, K. D.; Braatz, R. D.; Jensen, K. F.; Myerson, A. S.; Trout, B. L.; End-to-End Continuous Manufacturing: Integration of Unit Operations. Chapter 13 in Continuous Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals. Wiley-Blackwell, 2017, ISBN: 978-1-119-00132-4.
  6. Khodadadian, F.; Nasalevich, M.; Kapteijn, F.; Stankiewicz, A.I.; Lakerveld, R.; Gascon, J. Photocatalysis: Past achievements and future trends. Chapter 8. RSC Green Chemistry. Volume 2016-January, Issue 47, 2016, Pages 227-269.

Selected papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings:

  1. Mendis, N.P.; Lakerveld, R. A Thermodynamic Approach for Simultaneous Solvent, Coformer, and Process Optimization of Continuous Cocrystallization Processes. Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering, 2022, in press.
  2. Mendis, N.P.; Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. A Thermodynamic Approach for Simultaneous Solvent and Process Design of Continuous Reactive Crystallization with Recycling. Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering 48, 2020, 805-810.
  3. Gao, Y.; Lakerveld, R. Automated open-loop control of directed selfassembly with multiple electrokinetic actuators in microfluidic devices. Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering 46, 2019, 43–48.
  4. Nyande, B.W.; Gao, Y.; Lakerveld, R. A dynamic model for automated control of directed self-assembly of colloidal particles at low densities. Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering 46, 2019, 1783–1788.
  5. Gao, Y.; Lakerveld, R. Experimental Validation of Scheduled PID Control for Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Particles in Microfluidic Devices. Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Process Systems Engineering (PSE 2018), July 1 - July 4, 2018, San Diego, CA, USA, 2455–2460.
  6. Wang, J.; Lakerveld, R. Integrated Solvent and Process Optimization Using PC-SAFT for Continuous Crystallization with Energy-intensive Solvent Separation for Recycling. Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Process Systems Engineering (PSE 2018), July 1 - July 4, 2018, San Diego, CA, USA, 1051–1056.
  7. R. Lakerveld, B. Benyahia, P.L. Heider, H. Zhang, A. Wolfe, C.J. Testa, S. Ogden, D.R. Hersey, S. Mascia, J.M.B. Evans, R.D. Braatz, P.I. Barton, The Application of an Automated Plant-wide Control Strategy for a Continuous Pharmaceutical Pilot Plant. Proceedings of the 2014 American Control Conference, June 04-June 06, 2014, Portland, Oregon, USA, 3512-3517.
  8. R. Lakerveld, G. Stephanopoulos, P.I. Barton, Robust fabrication of non-periodic nanoscale systems via directed self-assembly. Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering 29, 2011, 1603-1607.
  9. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, The application of a task-based concept for design of innovative industrial crystallizers. PSE 2009 Conference Proceedings, Salvador, Brazil, 2009.
  10. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, A.I. Stankiewicz, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, Opportunities for process intensification in crystallization: application of air-mixed devices, ultrasound & membranes. EPIC 2009 Conference Proceedings, Venice, Italy, 2009.
  11. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens and J. Grievink, The Application of a Task Based Design Approach to Solution Crystallization. FOCAPD Conference Proceedings, Breckenridge, Colorado, United States, 2009.
  12. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, A task based design approach for solution crystallization. BIWIC 2008 Conference Proceedings, Magdeburg, Germany, 2008, 95-102.
  13. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, A Task Based Design Approach for Solution Crystallization. 17th International Symposium on Industrial Crystallization Conference Proceedings, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2008, 27-34.
  14. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, Solution Crystallization in a Bubble Column. Optimization of the task: Crystal Growth, 17th International Symposium on Industrial Crystallization Conference Proceedings, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2008, 819-826.
  15. R. Lakerveld, J. Kuhn, M.A. Bosch, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink,  Membrane Assisted Evaporative Crystallization: Optimization of Task Supersaturation Generation, 17th International Symposium on Industrial Crystallization Conference Proceedings, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2008, 827-834.
  16. R. Lakerveld, P.G. Verzijden, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, The Application of Ultrasound for Seeding Purposes Optimization of the task: Nucleation, 17th International Symposium on Industrial Crystallization Conference Proceedings, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2008, 835-842.
  17. R. Lakerveld, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, The application of a task-based concept for the design of innovative industrial crystallizers. 18th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering Conference Proceedings, Lyon, France 2008, 103-108.
  18. R. Lakerveld, A.N. Kalbasenka, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, The application of different seeding techniques for solution crystallization of ammonium sulphate. BIWIC 2007 Conference Proceedings, Cape Town, South Africa, 2007, 221-228.
  19. R. Lakerveld, M.E. Djatmiko, H.J.M. Kramer, P.J. Jansens, J. Grievink, Task based design techniques for solution crystallisation processes: application to a bubble column setup. BIWIC 2006 Conference Proceedings, Delft, The Netherlands, 2006, 114 – 121.

News

Apr, 2025: A collaborative review paper on advanced particle technologies in the preparation of dry powders for inhalation has been published in Particuology. Congratulations! (link)

Apr, 2025: Richard delivers a CCEB department seminar at Nanyang Technological University on pharmaceutical crystallization.

Mar, 2025: A collaborative paper on a CFD study of a new type of impeller for improved particle suspension has been published in Powder Technology. Congratulations! (link)

Jan, 2025: Yunlong passes his PhD qualifying examination. Congratulations!

Oct, 2024: Xiaojin's and Holly's paper on entropy-driven self-assembly of DNA origami isomers has been published in small structures. Congratulations! (link) [.pdf (open access)]

Sep, 2024: Victor's paper on a new crystallization-based deracemization process for the chiral compound synephrine is published in ACS Omega. Congratulations! (link) [.pdf (open access)]

Sep, 2024: MSc students Yuan, Xiang, Lin, and Yihuan join the Lakerveld Lab for an independent research project. Welcome!

Aug, 2024: Dishika successfully defends her PhD thesis. Congratulations!

Jul, 2024: Pramuditha joins the University of Sheffield as Postdoctoral Associate. Congratulations!

Jul, 2024: Richard delivers an invited talk at Tianjin University on Novel process concepts and computational tools for pharmaceutical crystallization.

Jun, 2024: The group celebrates the end of the academic year with two(!) nice lunches!

Jun, 2024: Victor successfully defends his PhD thesis. Congratulations!

Vacancies

Postdoctoral Associate

We have currently no open positions for postdoctoral associate.

Postgraduate Students

Vacancies for fully funded postgraduate positions are available (PhD or MPhil)! If you have shown academic excellence at a reputable university, are highly motivated, and you have an interest in Chemical Engineering in general, and in the research of our group in particular, please contact Prof. Lakerveld directly for enquiries. Please use an institutional email address if possible to avoid that your email will be flagged as junk email automatically.

HKUST is a modern, English-speaking, top-ranked University in Asia. HKUST’s School of Engineering consistently ranks among the top 25 programs in the world. Prof. Lakerveld’s research interests are in the field of Process Systems Engineering. In particular, the focus of the group is on the design and control of processes that involve the production of structured materials. Such processes are typically driven by crystallization or directed self-assembly. Research interests span from controlled assembly of individual building blocks into specific structures on a small scale to optimal integration of unit operations into continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing systems on a large scale.

Candidates should have a BEng or MSc degree (or equivalent) in chemical engineering or related discipline. Sufficient proficiency in the English language is required as demonstrated by an internationally recognized English test score. Extracurricular activities and international exposure are appreciated.

Outstanding applicants will be considered for the highly generous and prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme. Please see the following link for details on the HKPFS or please contact Prof. Lakerveld for enquiries.

Contact

Richard Lakerveld

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Email: r.lakerveld@ust.hk
Room: CYT2003
Phone: (852) 3469 2217

Please see Maps and Directions for more details on campus accessibility