I am a PhD student at the Department of Medical Ethics, Philosophy & History of Medicine at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. I completed my study in medicine in Amsterdam at the Academic Medical Center (AMC), now part of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers. In 2020, I also obtained my Master’s degree in philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. Subsequently, I worked in the Flevoziekenhuis in Almere as a medical doctor on the internal medicine ward.  

In October 2022, I started my PhD at the Erasmus Medical Center. Besides working on my thesis, I also teach in the Bachelor’s and Master’s program of medicine and will develop educational material for the Minor Ethics in Innovative Healthcare, focusing on predictive testing.

Within the CureQ project, I am able to combine my philosophical and medical background. The ethical and psychosocial issues regarding predictive testing for Huntington’s Disease and Spinocerebellar Ataxia are extremely important and I am grateful to be part of this project. It is valuable to work with patient organizations, scientists, researchers, and health care professionals.

In the ethics work package (WP6) I work with my co-promotor and daily supervisor dr. Ineke Bolt, my promotor prof. dr. Maartje Schermer, and prof. emer. dr. Aad Tibben. The aim of the work package is to explore the ethical, psychological and societal issues surrounding the development of new biomarkers for a more accurate prediction of age of onset and progression of disease in Huntington Disease and Spinocerebellar Ataxia, and to formulate the conditions for a morally responsible implementation of these predictions.