Edwin's Biography

I am a Dutch biochemist specialized in molecular biology and protein chemistry. I graduated in 2003 with a Master of Science degree in Medical Biology at VU university, Amsterdam. After graduating, I became a doctoral student at VU university under supervision of Joen Luirink focusing on the targeting and biogenesis of bacterial membrane proteins and was awarded a PhD in biochemistry in 2008. Subsequently, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Biotechnology group at Groningen university. In 2013, I was employed as Bioprocess Engineer at DSM Biologics after which I headed in 2014 the R&D department of IQ Products as Manager Product Development for two years. Previously, I worked as project  manager at Groningen University and in this role I supervised EU-funded research projects. Currently, I work as Scientific & Funding officer at the Kapteyn Astronomical Instiute, University of Groningen. My family and I live in the city of Groningen located in the northern part of the Netherlands. My spare time I like to spend outdoors with my family, preferably hiking or cycling.

Work history 

• As academic project manager, I supervise international research projects  such as the Horizon 2020 ROBOX project. This project was aimed at exploitation of oxidative biocatalysis and comprised a collaboration of 17 industrial and academic partners from nine different countries.
• As manager product development at IQ Products, I led the R&D department and coordinated research projects aimed at the development of diagnostic tests (ELISA / flow cytometrie) and biomarker discovery.
• To follow my industrial interests, I transitioned into the biopharmaceutical sector and started as bioprocess engineer at DSM (Patheon) Biologics. Here, I played a key role in the manufacure of therapeutic antibodies under GMP. 
• After obtaining my PhD, I worked as (academic) scientist at the University of Groningen on different applied projects together with different industrial partners. These projects were aimed at redesigning and optimizing enzymes for biotechnological purposes or as substitute for chemical catalysts,
• My PhD research dealt with the biogenesis of bacterial membrane proteins. Specifically, my work focused on characterizing the molecular factors involved in membrane targeting, insertion, folding, assembly and turnover of newly synthesized membrane proteins. During this period, I worked as guest researcher at the department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden in the lab of Prof. dr. G. von Heijne.
• PhD thesis: Characterization of the evolutionary conserved role of Escherichica coli YidC in membrane protein biogenesis.