Specialties: Interdisciplinary research, FAIR data principles, e-Science, rare diseases, molecular cell biology, Linked Data and ontologies (knowledge representation), computational research workflows, knowledge graphsMy research focus is on making computer science applicable to enhance biomedical research. My main research interest is currently in how knowledge representation (machine actionable data) can be used to advance translational research, particularly in the domain of rare diseases. After incorporating computer science in my MSc in molecular and cellular biology, I have worked as a multidisciplinary researcher in research groups in life science and computer science. Now, as group leader of the Biosemantics research group, founded by prof. Dr. Barend Mons (initiator of the FAIR principles), I lead the research, development and application of knowledge discovery methods for research on rare and genetic diseases. An important aspect of the research of my group is the implementation of FAIR data principles (data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable for humans and computers) as a means to create a powerful substrate and infrastructure for knowledge discovery across distributed heterogeneous data resources across the world. This is of particular relevance for rare diseases. Therefore I co-lead the rare disease community of the European life science data infrastructure ELIXIR and the 'FAIR at source' work package in the European Joint Programme Rare Diseases. I am involved in European Reference Networks for rare diseases and coordinate the 'Rare Diseases GO FAIR implementation network'. I have led the Dutch 'Personal Genetic Locker' project and am part of an international network to further the concept of personal health lockers. I am also involved in the national Health Research Infrastructure and the LUMC Data Competence Centre to help establish the LUMC as a FAIR principles-compliant institute.