Meet the Life Sciences team
The funding structure of universities throughout Europe has changed drastically in the last years. From structural research financing by governments the focus has shifted to research funding by (personal) grants. This requires a professional approach for grant acquisition. The Hezelburcht Life Sciences grant experts have ample experience in all these steps and are ready to help universities and research institutes with their grant acquisition strategy.
We would like to briefly introduce you to our team members!
Bram van Weerdenburg, PhD
Bram studied Chemistry at Radboud University Nijmegen. During his BSc and MSc, his research focussed on flow chemistry, biocatalysis and medicinal chemistry. His PhD fellowship concentrated on chemical reactions that can improve the sensitivity of NMR. The improved sensitivity was used to develop new diagnostic applications. As a post-doc Bram synthesized heterocyclic building blocks for new biological targets as part of the European Lead Factory program. Bram is passionate about topics such as energy transition, biobased economy, hydrogen and circularity. Since 2016, he works at Hezelburcht and supports grants in the field of Life Sciences and Chemistry. He has experience with national as well as European grant proposals and project management. Get in touch!
Carola Janssen, PhD
Carola performed her MSc in Biomedical Sciences at Radboud University. Hereafter, she started her PhD research at the Donders Institute and Radboud University Medical Centre. Her project focused on the influence of nutrition on brain development and degeneration in preclinical models. Carola successfully defended her thesis in 2015. In the same year, she started working as a Consultant Life Sciences at Hezelburcht. Since then, she has supported national and European grant proposals for projects with themes ranging from nutrition, neuroscience, molecular diagnostics, oncology, antimicrobials and clinical research. Currently, Carola is also involved in the project management of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND project on the development of novel antimicrobials. Get in touch!
Erik van der Zeijden, MSc
Erik obtained his master’s degree in Health Sciences at Maastricht University, where he specialized in Biology of Human Performance and Health. He has conducted research to determine the effect of training of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition, he analysed injuries and illnesses among professional speed cyclists. In 2010, he started working as a grant specialist at Hezelburcht. Since then, he has been successful in acquiring a wide range of grants, varying from small local grants to European Horizon 2020 grants. Due to his fascination for technology, health and ICT, he is specialized in eHealth proposals. Erik focusses on (inter)national consortia and investment projects. Get in touch!
Esther van Straten, PhD
Esther obtained a MSc in Nutrition and Health at Wageningen University, that focused on physiology and nutrigenomics. Subsequently, she performed her PhD research at University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). Here she focused on setting up a preclinical model to study molecular effects of maternal nutrition on the metabolism of the child. After her graduation in 2009 she worked as grant advisor and project manager at the department of Medical Oncology at UMCG. She started at Hezelburcht in 2013 and is involved in supporting proposals for academic as well as private parties, focusing on e.g. cancer diagnosis and treatment, nutrition, novel pharmaceuticals and eHealth solutions. Additionally, she is project manager of a Marie-Skłodowska-Curie International Training Network and a Horizon 2020 RIA consortium. Lastly she runs the grants desk of the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM) of Radboud University. Get in touch!
Inge van Bussel, PhD
Inge performed her MSc in Medical Biology at the Radboud University Nijmegen. She focused on molecular biology and was involved in several research activities including investigating the molecular basis of the biological clock (Cambridge, UK). She continued her career with a PhD fellowship at Wageningen University & Research as a part of a FP7 project. Her main focus here was to study the effects of diets on gene expression in blood cells and white adipose tissue from human subjects. She graduated in 2017, the same year she started at Hezelburcht. During her time at Hezelburcht she has worked as a project manager for several Marie Skłodowska-Curie projects and has gained experience with several national and European grants. Get in touch!
Jasprien Noordermeer, PhD
The last 25 years Jasprien has worked as a molecular (neuro) biologist in various scientific environments. She performed her PhD research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Cambridge University and Stanford University. Hereafter, she continued her academic career with a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley. After her postdoctoral fellowship she returned to the Netherlands and joint the faculty at Leiden University Medical Centre to start her own research group, the last 11 years as a professor. Her research concentrated on intercellular communication, more specifically on signal transduction between neurons and muscles. Since 2005, she also served as a committee member for NWO and FWO. In 2017, she started at Hezelburcht where her work focusses on supporting grant applications, expanding the academic client portfolio and building (international) consortia for research programmes. Get in touch!
Joëlle Vos, MSc
Joëlle received her MSc in Medical Biology at Radboud University Nijmegen in 2016. During her studies she worked in forensic medicine, focussing on the oligodendrocyte population in the hippocampus of the alcoholic brain at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. She moved on to a project studying the lipase metabolism in carnivore fish, in collaboration with the National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research in Bergen, Norway. Hereafter, she continued her academic career towards innovation management. This brought her back to Karolinska, where she studied the dynamic collaboration between academia and Big Pharma. Working as a consultant at Hezelburcht since 2017, she pursues her passion for Life Sciences in a wide variety of projects on a regional, national and international level aimed at both companies and universities. Get in touch!
Petra Dijkman, PhD
Petra studied Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Eindhoven (TU/e). This study integrates chemistry, physics and materials science with physiology and medical biology. After her MSc, she investigated the combination of tissue engineered heart valves and minimally invasive implantation techniques. She obtained her PhD in 2012 and continued her academic career at the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland. After several years working as postdoctoral researcher and group leader, she left academia in 2017 and joined Hezelburcht as Consultant Life Sciences. Petra supports the researchers of the department of Biomedical Engineering at TU/e with grant related matters via a grant support desk. Besides, she is project manager for both a FP7 project and a project of the Dutch Heart Foundation. Get in touch!
Nils Kooijman, MSc
Nils graduated as a MSc in Biology at University Leiden, with a specialisation in Biology and Science Communication. Nils’ MSc thesis focused on the often confusing and contradicting information in the field of healthy nutrition, diabetes and obesity. From 2012 onwards, he has gained experience with regional, national, European grants. Themes in these grants range from proton therapy, cardiology, pharmacy and clinical research. Furthermore, Nils has specialised in supporting (medical) ICT innovation and research. Get in touch!
Rolf Pullens, PhD
Rolf Pullens studied Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Eindhoven (TU/e). This MSc integrates chemistry, physics and materials science with physiology and medical biology. After his master degree, he performed PhD research on tissue engineering of blood vessels at the TU/e. Rolf started as a consultant at Hezelburcht after his graduation in 2009. He has supported proposals for various regional, national and European grants. Themes in these grants were among others biomarkers, systems medicine, molecular diagnostics, pharmacy and clinical studies. Since 2017 Rolf fulfils the position of Manager Nijmegen, although he is still closely connected to the Life Sciences team. Get in touch!
Extensive knowledge of grant programmes
Hezelburcht is experienced in applying for grants at regional, national and European funding schemes. Among others, Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie, European Research Council (ERC) Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grants, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) VENI, VIDI, VICI & Industrial Doctorates, ZonMw, Horizon 2020 FCH-JU, Dutch Cancer Foundation and NutsOhra fund.
Please contact us for more information
