Could you tell us something about your work at the department?
I am part of a consortium focusing on the implementation of advancements in genetic kidney disease (also known by the fancy acronym IMAGEN). Our collaborators in Groningen and Utrecht will focus on genetic diagnosis and therapeutic testing, while I will aim to set up improved disease models to study the mechanisms by which certain mutations can cause kidney diseases. These models include renal cell lines and 3D organoids.
Could you describe yourself in a few words:
Down-to-earth, reliable, almost always calm, sporadically impulsive
What do you normally do in the weekends?
Most of the time I use the weekend to relax, with family or friends or just by myself. I can watch a movie, or maybe play games, go out for a walk, make music, or listen to my CDs (I find CDs to be a nice, compact, physical alternative to the impersonal mass of Spotify).
What are your hobbies and can you tell us something about your favorite one?
My favorite hobby is playing the guitar. I have both an acoustic and an electric guitar and I like to spend time with pointless noodling. So far, my playing is limited to my own room or small family gatherings, but I’d like to do a bit more with it in the future.
Could you describe your best holiday?
I think my most special holiday experience was a family trip to Thailand and Laos back in 2014. We travelled across the country by car, plane, train and tuk-tuk. There were a lot of sights for us to see, both natural and cultural, while we were often a sight for the people there. Although I really like the Netherlands and Dutch culture, it’s nice to experience something else on trips like these now and then.
What is your dream for the future?
Actually, my dream for the future has become the present, since doing a PhD was a long-term plan of mine and I have not really thought about my next steps. Now that I have started my own PhD project, I’m just going to focus on that and see which new opportunities will arise later on.
Please add a picture of yourself during a certain activity and add here a note explaining the photo:
This picture is taken during a day in the Efteling, which might very well be my favorite place on planet Earth. All the nostalgia I need packed together in a theme park.
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