Session 1: Masterclass (30 min)

TNO – From Mice to Marker

As an independent research organization, we’re the driving force behind innovation. Our work makes an important contribution to resolving societal issues. Together with companies, from start-ups to multinationals, we work on innovations that define the future. We boost the competitiveness of companies and well-being in society – and we do it sustainably. TNO sets ambitious goals for the next decade in the areas of safety and security, health, digitalisation, and sustainability.

This is an interactive masterclass with Arianne van Koppen about using fibrosis biomarkers as a novel-non-invasive diagnostic tool.

Session 1: Masterclass (60 min)

ZonMw – Entrepreneurship

Progress requires research and development. ZonMw therefore finances health research and encourages the use of the knowledge developed. In this way we contribute to improving healthcare and health. Do you also want to work at the intersection of research, policy and practice in healthcare? Or are you interested in how the subsidy process works and would you like to know more about ZonMw as an employer? Come to our stand or register for our workshop, ‘Money for scientific research: from project idea to practical application’.

Session 1: Company Seminar (45 min)

UtrechtInc. – Entrepreneurship

UtrechtInc is a global top 10 university startup incubator for early-stage, scalable technology startups in the areas of health, sustainability, education, and artificial intelligence. These startups are founded by local researchers, medical doctors, students, and entrepreneurs. Our entrepreneurial programs, inspiring events, seasoned mentors, and vast business network are here to help turn your science-based innovations into startup success stories that contribute to a better world.

Session 1: Academic Lecture (45 min)

Martijn van der Meer – History of Medicine

An uncomfortably history of the academic career in biomedicine

In this session, we explore how biomedicine has become a job – an activity that pays rent. I will reconstruct how science has increased in scale and has become intertwined with industry and state bureaucracies. This historical development has changed the practicalities of the persuit for knowledge. In this light, we will reflect on what makes doing biomedical inquiry in academia different from working for profit-driven companies—w​hy it is a special activity bound to high ethical standards. Still, as I will show, academic careers are driven by external incentives: scientists have to publish, win grants, maximize citations. What does it mean to be a good biomedical scientist given these pressures? In this session, you might find out.

Session 1: Academic Lecture (45 min)

GSMS – Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology

In this programme we focus on the prevention, development, and treatment of physical and mental conditions. You will explore topics such as Public Health, Health Psychology, Chronic Diseases etc. and learn to resolve current mental and physical health problems by applying innovative research designs and using advanced statistical techniques. You can choose between two tracks: Health Systems and Prevention or Lifecourse Health Development, select your preferred elective courses and choose the topic of your research projects.

Our programme director Andrea de Winter and alumni Kshitij Mor & Judith Holtjer will talk to you about the programme and the career options thereafter. Of our alumni, 60% have chosen a career in academia (starting with a PhD) and 40% have pursued a career outside academia.

Session 1: Company Seminar (45 min)

Curium – Nuclear Medicine

Learn about the applications of nuclear medicine in diagnostics and therapeutics, and the challenges that are involved working with radioactive products in a pharmaceutical company.

Curium is a global leader in manufacturing and supplying nuclear medicines. Our products are used for both diagnosis and therapy, for example in cancer. Every year, as many as 14 million patients worldwide are treated with Curium’s products. Working with radioactivity makes our working environment interesting, specialized and unique. Curium is housed at the Energy & Health Campus: an inspiring place that is home to five organizations working in the field of renewable energy and nuclear medicine.

Session 1: Company Seminar (45 min)

IQVIA – Datascience in Clinical Trials

IQVIA is a large international company that combines data, knowledge, technology, and experience to positively influence healthcare around the world. Our mission at IQVIA is to advance healthcare together on many different levels. On the one hand, we do this by managing clinical trials and guiding market access approvals for new drugs. On the other hand, we provide information and advice on drug commercialization by sharing market insights and investigating therapeutic areas through hospitals, pharmacies, and healthcare professionals. Our Dutch office is located in Amsterdam near the Johan Cruiff Arena. We are always looking for young professionals to join our teams and make an impact together on healthcare.

Session 1: Masterclass (30 min)

Pfizer – Being a Medical Advisor

Ever wondered what a career as a Medical Advisor would look like? Senior Medical Affairs Scientists Rixt Wijma and Stefan Roobol will give a talk about their work at Pfizer and what it takes to be a Medical Advisor in a Pharmaceutical company.

We are Pfizer. Together, we work every day to develop new medicines in the hope of curing more and more people with diseases or providing as normal a life as possible. We think it’s important to get the best out of ourselves and each other.

Session 2: Masterclass (30 min)

TNO – Measuring Chemical Exposure

As an independent research organization, we’re the driving force behind innovation. Our work makes an important contribution to resolving societal issues. Together with companies, from start-ups to multinationals, we work on innovations that define the future. We boost the competitiveness of companies and well-being in society – and we do it sustainably. TNO sets ambitious goals for the next decade in the areas of safety and security, health, digitalisation, and sustainability.

This is an interactive workshop with Floris Pekel about the use of sensors to measure occupational chemical exposures at the workplace.

Session 2: Masterclass (30 min)

ZonMw – Entrepreneurship

Progress requires research and development. ZonMw therefore finances health research and encourages the use of the knowledge developed. In this way we contribute to improving healthcare and health. Do you also want to work at the intersection of research, policy and practice in healthcare? Or are you interested in how the subsidy process works and would you like to know more about ZonMw as an employer? Come to our stand or register for our workshop, ‘Money for scientific research: from project idea to practical application’.

Session 2: Masterclass (30 min)

Pfizer – Being a Medcial Advisor

Ever wondered what a career as a Medical Advisor would look like? Senior Medical Affairs Scientists Rixt Wijma and Stefan Roobol will give a talk about their work at Pfizer and what it takes to be a Medical Advisor in a Pharmaceutical company.

We are Pfizer. Together, we work every day to develop new medicines in the hope of curing more and more people with diseases or providing as normal a life as possible. We think it’s important to get the best out of ourselves and each other.

Session 2: Academic Lecture (45 min)

UU – Developing Research Skills

Thijs Koorman & Mikael Schakelaar from the UU will tell something about working on a lab and the relevance of developing research skills for your future careers in and outside of the lab

Session 2: Academic Lecture (45 min)

GSMS – Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment

In this programme you will explore exciting topics in molecular and translational medical research such as immunology and infectious diseases, drug innovation and development, neurobiology and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer biology and immune therapy and cardiovascular diseases. You will learn about and use pioneering technologies and will have the opportunity to do two internships either at the University Medical Center Groningen or abroad. You can choose between six specializations and also select the Innovative Medicine track which focuses on entrepreneurship.

Our programme director Inge Zuhorn and alum Putri Ayu will talk to you about the programme and the career options thereafter. The majority of our students pursue a research career in academia (starting with a PhD), but there are most definitely options for you outside of academia.

Session 2/3: Case Study (1,5 hours)

Health Ecore – Combining Social, Ethical and Economic Factors in Medical Technology

The introduction of new medicines and other health technologies is a significant challenge for countries worldwide. National authorities aim to ensure timely access to effective treatments for patients while ensuring healthcare affordability. Health-Ecore’s masterclass focuses on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) within the Dutch context. 

We will cover the general concepts of HTA, used for evaluating the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and broader societal impacts of health technologies. Using (real-life) case studies, we will delve into practical examples that highlight the challenges in HTA. By applying these concepts to real-world scenarios, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how HTA operates in practice

Session 2: Company Seminar (60 min)

PHARMO – Drug Utilization and Drug Safety

PHARMO is an independent research organization dedicated to the study of epidemiology, drug utilization, drug safety and health outcomes. We study the effects of drug treatments in a real-world post marketing setting to enhance the health of people using medication. We base our studies on anonymized data (general practitioners, hospitals, in- and out-patient pharmacies and more) that can be linked on patient level and can be used to follow the disease course and effects of medication during and after the treatment. We also collaborate with other databases and experts in multi-country database studies.

During the seminar we will explain the work we do at PHARMO in more detail, and we will show some examples of projects we have been working on. Moreover, interns/people working at PHARMO will talk about their experiences.

Session 3: Masterclass (30 min)

TNO – Speeding up Development

As an independent research organization, we’re the driving force behind innovation. Our work makes an important contribution to resolving societal issues. Together with companies, from start-ups to multinationals, we work on innovations that define the future. We boost the competitiveness of companies and well-being in society – and we do it sustainably. TNO sets ambitious goals for the next decade in the areas of safety and security, health, digitalisation, and sustainability.

This is an interactive masterclass about research and development, in particular the topic of speeding up the development of medicine.

Session 3: Masterclass (45 min)

CC Diagnostics – Innovation in Cancer Screening

In his final year of med-school Nutte van Belzen founded his start-up CC Diagnostics. He is a passionate young doctor working on a new test for cervical cancer diagnosis. As Chief Medical Officer he is leading the validation of their screening test for cervical cancer. His dream is to bring their technology to market and implement it in screening programs worldwide. Nutte gets energy from new challenges and really enjoys networking. He shares his dreams through his vibrant pitches and through hard work they eventually become reality.

Session 3: Masterclass (45 min)

Syngle Therapeutics – Parkinson’s Disease

What are the possibilities for careers outside of academia? For Guus Scheefhals, trained as a pharmacist in Utrecht, industry was a good career choice. After his studies he went to work in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, since 2005 holding management positions and aiding start-ups. In March 2020 he founded Syngle Therapeutics, which works on a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. In this talk you will learn about career options, the development of new drugs and challenges in treating Parkinson’s disease.

Session 3: Masterclass (45 min)

PD Value – Anti-cancer Drug Development

PD-value is a science-oriented provider in the pharmaceutical drug discovery and development. PD-value develops a specific type of computer models, PK-PD and QSP models, in the interface of biology, pharmacology and statistics. The models have predictive capability because of the combination of biology and statistics, and clients consult for support in design of studies and acceleration of decision making. PD-value is also continuously working on innovations in and around its field of expertise. PD-value is part of the community at the Utrecht Science Park.

Session 3: Company Seminar (30 min)

Synthon – Clinical Requirements and Regulatory Activities

Synthon has been investing in the development, manufacture and commercialization of complex generics for more than three decades. With a focus on innovation, science and intellectual property to drive differentiation, Synthon has become the leading B2B player in the generics industry. As a science-driven company, we combine our three strengths: Research & Development, Manufacturing and Commercialization to make complex generic medicines available at market formation globally.  

During this seminar, we will give insight into the activities of a global generic player. What investments are required to create a safe, effective and affordable medicine? Which departments are involved to bring a generic to the market? More detail will be provided on the clinical requirements and the administrative regulatory activities to commercialize a successful development.

Session 3: Masterclass (45 min)

Synaptica – Treating Epilepsy with Novel Diagnosis

Understanding the functional consequences of genetic mutations is key for early diagnosis and precision medicine. For only around 2% of potential pathogenic ion channel mutations, the gain or loss of function effects are known and well quantified. Using these known mutations, Synaptica has trained a machine learning model on phenotypic data, sequence-based features and DeepMind’s AlphaFold2 to model 3D mutant protein structures to predict the functional consequences of all missense mutations in many of the disease-related ion channels. With this model, Synaptica provides world leading predictions on gain or loss of function. These results are currently aimed at medical use in clinical trial screening and treatment for channelopathies, such as epilepsy and muscle and heart diseases.

Session 3: Company Seminar (15 min)

Promega – Genetic and Protein Product Development

Founded in 1978 by Bill Linton, Promega specializes in the development of a wide range of high-value products for various fields such as genomics, protein analysis and expression, cellular analysis, drug discovery, and genetic identity. With a portfolio of over 4,000 products, Promega supports scientific research and applied technology applications worldwide. Feel free to attend the seminar to discover more about Promega.