At BioDetection Systems we develop bioassays for risk assessment, as an alternative for animal tests. We offer analyses as a service, but we are also involved in many (inter)national research projects. As a project leader in the Innovation Unit I’m currently involved in the validation and commercial application of the bioassays, and I’m responsible for assay automation into high-throughput screening systems using state-of-the-art robotics. My responsibilities also include management of EU projects, for example the BBI-projects ReSolve and CHAMPION focusing on Green Chemistry, or EU ToxRisk and RISKHUNT3R, focusing on new risk assessment strategies.

Previously, I worked on the development of novel bioassays as a scientist in the R&D department. One of the main focus points was the addition of metabolic enzymes to the bioassays, in order to mimic hepatic metabolism. The work involved molecular biology techniques (PCR, cloning, transfection), cell culture and luminescent reporter gene assay analyses.

During my postdoc at the TU Delft I worked on the B-Basic project ‘Directed evolution of hydro-lyases’. The aim of this project was to alter the properties of enzymes to enable them to perform industrially useful reactions. This involved techniques like protein engineering, recombinant protein expression and enzyme characterisation.

As a junior researcher at BiOMaDe Technologies, I worked on the mutagenesis of enzymes to develop novel properties, with a focus on drug delivery.