New appointments within Scientific Career Path

The Radboudumc Executive Board recently announced various appointments of researchers within the Radboudumc Scientific Career Path: one as Associate Professor and Research Group Leader; four as researcher in Talent Track phase 1 (TT1), and two as Assistant professor in the Talent Track phase 2 (TT2). 

We would proudly like to introduce these talented researchers to you. 

Associate Professor and Research Group Leader

Iris Walraven (dept. IQ Health)

Iris Walraven has been appointed Associate Professor and Research Group Leader. Her research focuses on tailoring cancer care to the individual patient's risks and needs. She specializes in prognostic epidemiology and oncology, with a strong emphasis on clinical relevance.
Main research program: Thoracic Oncology 

Assistant professors in TT2

Martijn van den Bosch (dept. Rheumatology)
Martijn van den Bosch’s research addresses a critical clinical issue as osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease, becomes increasingly chronic. His work focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of rheumatic diseases, particularly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. He holds a unique position in studying synovial inflammation.
Main research program: Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: from disease characteristics to precision medicine

Jonne Doorduin (dept. Intensive Care)
Jonne Doorduin's research focuses on improving respiratory support and reducing the harmful effects of ICU treatments, which directly benefits patients by lowering morbidity and mortality. His work also has significant implications for society by potentially decreasing the duration of ICU stays, thus reducing healthcare costs.
Main research program: Neuromuscular disorders

Researchers in TT1

Rob Arts (dept. Internal Medicine)
Rob Arts's research focuses on critical areas of infectious diseases, with a particular emphasis on applying the concept of Trained Immunity to severe and HIV-associated infections. His work is aimed at advancing the field and improving patient outcomes.
Main research program: Innate immunity in health and diseases

Marjolijn Duijvestein (dept. MDL)
Marjolijn Duijvestein’s research focuses on optimizing treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and enhancing sustainability in gastroenterological care. Given IBD’s chronic nature and unknown etiology, her work explores the complex interplay between immunology, genetics, microbiome, and environmental factors. Additionally, she has established a niche in promoting sustainability through "Green Practices in Gastroenterology.
Main research program: Chronic inflammatory diseases (CID): from disease characteristics to precision medicine

Maria Victoria Luna Velez (dept. Urology)
Maria Victoria Luna Velez focuses on genitourinary cancer systems biology, specifically prostate cancer (PCa). Her research aims to deepen understanding of PCa biology and guide clinical interventions through two approaches: an unbiased strategy that addresses the disease's molecular complexity via experimental biology and computational analysis, and a targeted approach that investigates specific molecules or pathways to uncover mechanisms of action and potential clinical applications.
Main research program: 3D biology and disease mechanisms 

Maaike van Bergen (dept. Laboratory Medicine)
Maaike van Bergen’s research focuses on clonal hematopoiesis as a precursor to hematological cancers. She aims to identify the factors driving leukemia development, with the goal of targeting these factors to prevent progression to leukemia. Additionally, her work seeks to establish these factors as biomarkers for selecting high-risk patients who may benefit from preventive interventions.
Main research program: Treatment improvement for severe hematological disease  

About the Scientific Career Path

The Scientific Career Path is the first of three Academic Career Paths established at Radboudumc, with others focused on Education & Training and Academic Healthcare currently in development, aligned with the national Recognition and Rewards Initiative.

This path includes a Talent Track for researchers moving from postdoc to Associate Professor and Research Group Leader (RGL), and a Career Track for progression from Associate Professor-RGL to full Professor-RGL.

The Talent Track is divided into two phases:

• Phase 1: Targets postdocs with several years of experience. After up to five years, successful candidates are promoted to Assistant Professor with a research profile.
• Phase 2: Upon positive evaluation, candidates progress to this phase, ultimately leading to their appointment as Associate Professor-RGL. The Hypatia scheme is also integrated into this phase for external candidates.

The Talent Track Committee evaluates all research-profile candidates and advises the Radboudumc Executive Board on appointments within Talent Track phases 1, 2, and the promotion to Associate Professor-RGL.

Read more about the Scientific Career Path: https://www.radboudumc.nl/en/intranet/research/scientific-career-path.