'During my bachelor I developed my fascination for the human brain. I became sure that I wanted to continue studying neuroscience and learn more about the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive us.

Biomedical viewpoint  

My main interest is in the field of neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson. To understand these diseases, it is of great importance to understand the neural principles and the functioning of the brain in its normal healthy state. In the programme at the UvA I am able to approach the brain from a biomedical view and extend my knowledge in these neural principles.

I participate in this Master with 17 other students, resulting in informal interactions between students and teachers. During the numerous discussions and presentations you develop a critival view which has broad applications, in both research and business.

Extended research projects 

Another important aspect that made me choose this track is the large freedom of choice. You can set up your curriculum as you wish, broad or specialized in certain topics, since only a few courses are obligatory. I used this freedom to have two extended research projects. After my Bachelor research project I was surprised how much I had learned during this internship and how much more there was to investigate. Because of this positive experience I continued this hands-on approach during my Master.

Learning experimental techniques

Currently, I am doing an internship at the Neurogenetics group at the AMC. My research focuses on genes underlying pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH), an inherited neurodegenerative disease resulting in severe cognitive and motor disabilities. In this research project I have learned many experimental techniques applied in neuroscience. Furthermore, I could bring into practice the theoretical knowledge acquired during my Master. I am very enthusiastic about this project and hope to contribute in unravelling mutations in genes causing PCH.'