NL
DE
4 November 2019
What was your previous academic training, where did you study and why that study?
I think it was in the 5th year of high school that I decided that I wanted to study something medical. But it was also clear that I did not want to become a physician. Therefore I chose to study Biomedical Sciences at the Radboudumc and I never regretted up until now.
The RIMLS motto is: ‘Today’s molecules for tomorrow’s medicine’. What does this mean for you?
I think this motto fits really well. I am doing research into how osteoarthritis starts and progresses. Currently there is no treatment to stop or cure this disease, so we really hope that the molecules we are working on today can serve as basis for tomorrow’s medicine.
Who is your great example as scientists? And why?
If I have to mention one this would be Charles Darwin. He is a self-made scientist that changed our view on the world quite dramatically. And if I am allowed to mention a second, Jane Goodall. She is a self-made scientist as well. And next to showing that unconventional routes can lead to big achievements, she still tours the world with her inspiring speeches, age 85.
Nominate a colleague to be in the spotlight:
Rogier Thurlings. Where does he think the treatment of patients with rheumatological disorders, and specifically osteoarthritis, will be heading towards in the next 20 years or so.
b) Theater or cinema? : Cinema
c) Dine out or dine in? : Dine in
d) Ferrari or Fiat? : Don't care
e) Shopaholic or chocoholic? : Both
f) Culture or Nature : Both
My name is Martijn van den Bosch, Dutch and born in the famous year 1984. Currently, I am post-doctoral researcher at the Experimental Rheumatology lab, theme Inflammatory diseases. Next to conducting research, I like teaching.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Can you tell us something about your child years?
I was born and raised in Oss. As a kid I was already pretty much interested in everything biology. I was always looking in books (they still existed back then :P) about animals and apparently I used to bring all sorts of animals in my parent’s home when I was only a couple of years old. I was an energetic and happy child and always wanted to investigate everything around me. I followed the normal path from primary to high school.What was your previous academic training, where did you study and why that study?
I think it was in the 5th year of high school that I decided that I wanted to study something medical. But it was also clear that I did not want to become a physician. Therefore I chose to study Biomedical Sciences at the Radboudumc and I never regretted up until now.
The RIMLS motto is: ‘Today’s molecules for tomorrow’s medicine’. What does this mean for you?
I think this motto fits really well. I am doing research into how osteoarthritis starts and progresses. Currently there is no treatment to stop or cure this disease, so we really hope that the molecules we are working on today can serve as basis for tomorrow’s medicine.
Who is your great example as scientists? And why?
If I have to mention one this would be Charles Darwin. He is a self-made scientist that changed our view on the world quite dramatically. And if I am allowed to mention a second, Jane Goodall. She is a self-made scientist as well. And next to showing that unconventional routes can lead to big achievements, she still tours the world with her inspiring speeches, age 85.
Which research discovery that you have made has made you most proud?
During my time as PhD student I worked on the involvement of Wnt signalling in the progression of osteoarthritis. Although I have moved away from this field a bit, a pharmaceutical company is now developing Wnt inhibitors that are being clinically tested with promising results. This can become one of the first disease-modifying drugs to be used to slow down osteoarthritis.Given unlimited finance what experiment would you perform?
One of the main problems in doing clinical trials to find new therapies for osteoarthritis is the heterogeneity of the disease, making it very hard to ‘cluster’ patients with the same disease etiology. If I would have unlimited funding, I would at least try to solve this problem, which I see as a key hurdle that holds back the development of disease-modifying therapies.What does your working area look like and what does it say about you or your research?
Well, I have a picture of Albert Einstein defending my bench with his famous quote ““If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” I think that says enough.Nominate a colleague to be in the spotlight:
Rogier Thurlings. Where does he think the treatment of patients with rheumatological disorders, and specifically osteoarthritis, will be heading towards in the next 20 years or so.
What type of person are you? Quick insights:
a) Mac or PC? : PCb) Theater or cinema? : Cinema
c) Dine out or dine in? : Dine in
d) Ferrari or Fiat? : Don't care
e) Shopaholic or chocoholic? : Both
f) Culture or Nature : Both
