I studied Biomedical Sciences and Chemistry at the University of Amsterdam and was trained as a biochemist in the structural biology lab at Netherlands Cancer Institute (Amsterdam) and directed evolution lab at Caltech (Pasadena, USA). I joined the Maglia lab for my final internship, where I worked on engineering aerolysin nanopore for lysozyme peptide fingerprinting. This graduation thesis was awarded the 1st prize in the Pfizer Thesis Awards. In my PhD, I continue engineering new nanopores by rational design, and developing nanopore biosensors for macromolecules. I explore a wide range of protein purification and conjugation methods, and screen their activity and properties in planar lipid bilayer electrophysiology.

In my free time I enjoy sailing and surfing, baking sweets, and filling up my home library.