Erasmus MC. Graduate School. from knowing to growing. Discoveries that matter

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1 Ersmus MC Grdute School from knowing to growing Discoveries tht mtter Reserch nd trining t Ersmus MC Grdute School Edition 2011

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3 Welcome to Ersmus MC! I ve lwys hd gret pssion for trining students, feeling inspired by the enthusism of tlented nd motivted students who seek the chllenge of scientific reserch. It is with gret plesure therefore tht I welcome you, the next genertion of scientists in biomedicine, to Ersmus MC. Ersmus MC Grdute School offers you numerous courses nd excellent reserch fcilities t Reserch Mster s nd PhD level. It provides trining t the highest levels of expertise in fields rnging from fundmentl nd clinicl reserch to helth sciences. I strongly believe tht Ersmus MC is unique environment in which to strt your creer in medicl science. The reserch performed here is ntionlly nd interntionlly of outstnding qulity. We owe our success to superior multidisciplinry collbortions in Ersmus MC itself nd with prtners cross the world. We lso owe our success to excellent reserch fcilities high tech lbs, first clss dt from lrge-scle popultion studies nd wide rnge of clinicl expertise. But most of ll, we owe our success to commitment to stimulting our young nd tlented reserchers. Over the next few yers, you will become n expert in your field of reserch. I m convinced tht your reserch trining t Ersmus MC Grdute School will provide you with the soundest bsis for your future creer. I wish you the gretest possible success with it. Huibert A.P. Pols, MD PhD Den nd Vice President of the Ersmus MC Bord of Directors 3

4 Why PhD t Ersmus MC Grdute School? Ersmus MC performs interntionlly outstnding reserch in the biomedicl, clinicl nd helth sciences. It excels in mny fields, studying not only fundmentl, clinicl nd epidemiologicl domins from molecules to the whole orgnism nd from bench to bedside but lso policy-relted ones: from ptient to popultion. In recent cittion nlysis compring ll university medicl centers in the Netherlnds, our institute cme top for both quntity nd qulity of its reserch. We re very committed to stimulting young nd tlented reserchers. We hve coherent policy on scouting, cquiring, developing nd fostering tlented students nd scientists. Some of our Reserch Mster progrms hve specific Summer Schools for scouting tlent. Those who complete these Summer Schools with success re grnted ccess to the Reserch Mster. The Reserch Msters nd PhD progrms of Ersmus MC Grdute School re orgnized by ny of the five reserch schools prticipting in the Grdute School: Crdiovsculr Reserch School (Coeur) Medicl Genetics Center (MGC) Moleculr Medicine (MolMed) Netherlnds Institute for Helth Sciences (Nihes) Neurosciences Amsterdm Rotterdm (ONWAR) 4

5 Ersmus MC Grdute School offers five Reserch Mster s progrms: Helth Sciences Clinicl Reserch Moleculr Medicine Neuroscience Infection & Immunity 1 These Mster of Science progrms focus very much on scientific trining. We set the br high: Only the very motivted nd tlented students re llowed entry into our progrms. At the end of the two-yer reserchmster you will t lest hve published one scientific rticle of high impct. Therefore fter finishing you will hve wht it tkes to become successful PhD-student. These Reserch Msters re covered more in depth in our brochure Ever thought of reserch?. PhD-level trining is offered in five fields: Biomedicl Genetics Crdiovsculr Reserch Helth Sciences Moleculr Medicine Neuroscience Chirmn s messge As primus inter pres, I chir the bord of Ersmus MC Grdute School, which includes the directors of the five reserch schools tht mke up the Grdute School s well s the chirs of the PhD nd Reserch Mster s committees in Ersmus MC. This shows tht your interests re well supported. I m truly convinced tht Ersmus MC Grdute School offers highly stimulting reserch environ - ment in one of the best medicl reserch institutions in Europe. Ersmus MC s outstnding reputtion in reserch rests on strong bse of excellent reserch groups in unique, multidisciplinry collbortions. I encourge you to tke full dvntge of our excellent reserch nd trining fcilities in your Mster s nd PhD trcks. In ddition, PhD students re encourged to tke generl courses imed t cquiring wide rnge of trnsferble cdemic skills. Chris de Zeeuw, professor of Neuroscience, Chirmn Ersmus MC Grdute School Generl informtion bout Ersmus MC Grdute School nd ll progrms t Reserch Mster s nd PhD level is vilble t 5

6 Reserch trining t PhD level Ersmus MC is lwys looking for tlented nd motivted students nd professionls who seek the chllenge of scientific reserch. An overview of the reserch positions is vilble t Plese feel free to check the webpges of the Ersmus MC reserch deprtment of your choice directly for vcncies. A PhD t Ersmus MC PhD students my be employed in different wys t Ersmus MC. Some re employed s reserch trinees under so-clled OiO greement (Onderzoeker in Opleiding). Others combine PhD reserch with their clinicl trining (MD-PhD), or re junior reserchers nd combine severl reserch projects in one PhD thesis. Whtever the type of employment, ll PhD students hve full ccess to the overll fcilities for reserch nd PhD eduction t Ersmus MC Grdute School. Also PhD students re considered employees nd receive fixed slry ech month. Your reserch project As PhD student, you will tke on four-yer reserch project, nd enjoy: stimulting nd highly interctive cdemic environment employment with socil benefits supervision nd coching The PhD project includes piece of independent scientific reserch nd the presenttion of the results in thesis. You will be supervised by full cdemic professor (promotor) nd, in most cses, supported by co-supervisor (co-promotor). Frequent dvice nd support on-the-job re key elements in PhD reserch t Ersmus MC Grdute School. At the sme time, you should be wre tht the PhD level requires reserch nd trining under your own mngement. You will get the chnce to go brod to visit seminrs nd lectures. Ersmus MC strongly encourges PhD students to lso do reserch t other institutes. Your individul eduction pln In the first two months of your reserch period, you nd your supervisor(s) gree on n individul eduction pln tht will ensure the gretest possible flexibility. It will gin the student totl vlue of 30 credits under the Europen Credit Trnsfer System (ECTS). PhD students gin ECTS in the PhD trining progrms listed below, orgnized by ny of the reserch schools, by tking generl courses, or courses, seminrs, nd lectures given elsewhere in the Netherlnds or brod. You nd your supervisors re jointly responsible for ensuring tht the eduction pln will become n efficient prt of the overll PhD progrm. By signing the eduction pln, your supervisor uthorizes you to embrk on your PhD trining. 6

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8 Ersmus MC Grdute School is n umbrell orgniztion covering five reserch schools ccredited by the Royl Netherlnds Acdemy of Arts nd Sciences (KNAW). This section briefly describes ech of the schools. 8

9 Reserch schools CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH SCHOOL Twelve Ersmus MC deprtments engged in crdio - vsculr reserch comprise the Crdiovsculr Reserch School (Coeur). The school lists bout 150 PhD students nd comprble number of scientific stff. Yerly some 25 PhD students receive their doctorl degree, nd the number of interntionl publictions is in the order of 500 mnuscripts per yer. A recent independent bibliometric nlysis showed tht Coeur hs the highest cittion index of ll Ersmus MC reserch schools. More thn 75% of the scientific output results from prtnering projects. The mission of Coeur is two-fold: to promote outstnding bsic, trnsltionl nd clinicl crdiovsculr reserch, imed t better understnding of the pthophysiology of crdiovsculr disese nd improved prognosis nd qulity of life of ptients; to trin future ntionl nd interntionl leders in the crdiovsculr field through systemtic scientific eduction nd trining progrm. Coeur recognizes the need for n integrtive, multi - disciplinry, trnsltionl pproch, nd encourges ntionl nd interntionl collbortion. The innovtive reserch progrms include crdiovsculr biology nd phrmcology, biomedicl engineering nd informtics, clinicl science, clinicl epidemiology nd helth cre reserch. Individul trining progrms include monthly reserch seminrs nd core curriculum. Coeur hs six reserch themes: Crdiovsculr biology nd phrmcology Vsculr medicine, hemostsis nd stroke Imge-guided crdiovsculr medicine Surgicl, interventionl nd device therpy of crdiovsculr disese Congenitl hert disese Neurovsculr nd crdiovsculr clinicl epidemiology PhD progrm in Crdiovsculr Reserch Coeur offers PhD students reserch nd eduction progrm tilored towrds their individul requirements. This progrm ims to develop their knowledge nd skills such tht they will become independent reserchers, nd should dditionlly provide them with sound bsis for their future professionl creers. Coeur orgnizes monthly reserch seminrs nd bout ten courses in two-yer cycle formt. Most of these courses comprise two or three consecutive dys nd require similr worklod in self-study. Ech course is concluded with n exmintion, certificte-giving ceremony nd n evlution. Together with other Dutch crdiovsculr reserch institutes, Coeur orgnizes three different, three-dy trining courses in bsic reserch: Crdic function nd dpttion, Thrombosis nd hemostsis, nd Vsculr biology. PhD students cn prticipte in only one of the three courses ech yer. These courses stimulte interction between PhD students from different reserch institutes, s ssignments re discussed in smll groups nd socil ctivities enliven the evenings. Prticipnts lso present poster of their own reserch project. The following courses re scheduled for the second hlf of 2011 nd spring 2012: Hert filure, Congenitl hert disese, Electrophysiology nd Moleculr biology. For further informtion see: > PhD Trining progrm. 9

10 MOLECULAR MEDICINE The Ersmus Postgrdute School Moleculr Medicine (MolMed) is one of the fourteen postgrdute schools in the field of biomedicl science in the Netherlnds. Its mission is to stimulte cliniclly oriented moleculr biomedicl reserch. Its core business is trnsltionl reserch. MolMed seeks to chieve its mission through two min ctivities: orgnizing eduction for postgrdute students, post docs nd senior scientists, nd fcilitting coopertive trnsltionl reserch projects. The school s min occuption is with four themes: Endocrinology, Metbolism & Aging Hemtopoiesis, Lymphopoiesis & Immmune regultion Solid Tumors Infections & Host response PhD t Moleculr Medicine Reserch School Moleculr Medicine hs over 250 PhD students. Yerly 50 new PhD students re employed of which 40 percent is from nother country then the Netherlnds. The verge promotion durtion is five yers. Moleculr Medicine (MolMed) orgnizes n nnul MolMed Dy for ll members of the school. In 2011 it drew nerly 350 members, who submitted more thn 100 bstrcts for orl or poster presenttion. MolMed PhD students nd postdocs re invited to specil retrets, the so-clled Get out of your lb-dys with presenttions by top reserchers nd interesting workshops. Besides tht, the school offers ever more courses nd symposi ech yer, even up to 50 in This is just selection: Moleculr Medicine course, brod overview of everything Ersmus MC offers in trnsltionl biomedicl reserch Biomedicl Reserch Techniques course Short courses nd workshops on bioinformtics Bsic nd Trnsltionl Oncology course Bsic & trnsltionl Endocrinology course SNP course nd specil conference on SNP s nd phenotype In Vivo Imging course Animl Imging course Moleculr Dignostics course Specilized symposi, e.g. on Guillin Brré syndrome, Mucosl immunology, Moleculr microbiology with world leding scientists giving mster clsses for PhD students nd post docs Monthly Bridge meetings on Bioinformtics nd periodicl sessions on Comprtive pthology. Photoshop nd Indesign course Bsic Sttistics (SPSS IV) Reserch Mngement course For further informtion see: 10

11 NETHERLANDS INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH SCIENCES The Netherlnds Institute for Helth Sciences (NIHES) is n llince between four renowned Dutch universities nd reserch institutes: Ersmus MC, Acdemic Medicl Center Amsterdm / University of Amsterdm, the Netherlnds Cncer Institute (NKI) nd the Ntionl Institute of Public Helth nd the Environment (RIVM). In pooling their expertise in quntittive medicl nd helth reserch, the prticipnt orgniztions hve threefold mission: to help identify determinnts of helth nd disese; to help improve the efficiency of helth services; to further develop methods for cquiring nd interpreting medicl dt. NIHES hs estblished comprehensive reserch trining curriculum in quntittive medicine nd helth sciences tht integrtes progrms t grdute nd post-grdute levels. NIHES holds strong interntionl position. Witness the mny publictions in importnt interntionl journls, fruitful collbortions with interntionl reserch institutes, nd the first-rte interntionl fculty prtici - pting in the reserch trining progrms. Mjor res of ttention: Clinicl epidemiology Clinicl reserch Epidemiology Genetic epidemiology Public helth PhD progrm in Helth Sciences NIHES offers vrious Mster s progrms nd short courses in quntittive medicine nd helth sciences tht re open to NIHES PhD students nd lso to externl prticipnts. The Ersmus Summer Progrm nd Ersmus Winter Progrm two 3-week series of lectures re prt of NIHES Mster s progrms nd offer one week modules, which cn be ttended seprtely s well. Aprt from the two-yer, full-time Reserch Mster s progrm in Clinicl Epidemio - logy, the reserch school lso offers one-yer Mster s progrms, both full-time nd prt-time, in its four core disciplines: Clinicl epidemiology Epidemiology Genetic epidemiology Public helth The progrms provide solid theoreticl, methodologicl, nd sttisticl bses for designing nd implementing reserch project. Prticipnts re tught how to best publish their reserch results, nd re prepred for creers in interntionl reserch or in executive nd dvisory positions in public helth, clinicl medicine, drug reserch, nd helth policy development. NIHES lso orgnizes lrge number of short courses in specific res of clinicl nd public helth reserch; selection of generl courses in methodology nd sttistics is open to ll Ersmus MC PhD students. For further informtion see: nd 11

12 NEUROSCIENCES AMSTERDAM ROTTERDAM The Grdute School Neurosciences Amsterdm Rotterdm (ONWAR) is reserch school originting from merger between Reserch School Neurosciences Amsterdm nd the Deprtment of Neuroscience t Ersmus MC. This merger mde ONWAR the lrgest nd most influentil center for neuroscience reserch in the Netherlnds. Its reserch progrms re t the frontier of fundmentl nd clinicl neuroscience from moleculr to systems level nd re ccredited by the Royl Netherlnds of Arts nd Sciences KNAW. Five reserch institutes prticipte in ONWAR: the Reserch Institute Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdm, the Section Neurobiology, Swmmerdm Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdm, the Reserch Institute Neurologicl nd Psychitric Disorders, Acdemic Medicl Center Amsterdm, the Netherlnds Institute for Neurosciences, Royl Netherlnds Acdemy of Arts nd Sciences KNAW, Amsterdm nd the Deprtment of Neuroscience, Ersmus MC. ONWAR s mission is: to coordinte the trining progrms of the PhD students prticipting in the school to orgnize courses, lectures, nnul meetings in the field of neurosciences stimulte collbortion in neuroscientific reserch between the vrious prticipting institutes to stimulte improvement of the qulity of reserch nd eduction in the neurosciences The centrl theme of neuroscience reserch in Rotterdm is Plsticity nd Dynmics of Sensori-Motor Systems. This centrl theme is explored using vriety of technicl pproches, including moleculr biology, cell biology nd physiology, neurontomy, systems electrophysiology, nd behviorl nd clinicl studies. At the systems level the reserch topics of the individul groups focus on trns duction mechnisms or motor lerning. Of specil interest re the interctions of visul, uditory, vestibulr or proprioceptive sensory inputs with motor outputs such s the oculomotor system, locomotion, nd hnd nd neck movements. At the cellulr level the reserch topics center round the synptic mechnisms underlying these dynmic nd plstic processes. PhD progrm in Neurosciences Reserch School Neurosciences Amsterdm Rotterdm (ONWAR) offers trining progrm for Ersmus MC PhD students in the field of neuroscience. Aimed t giving comprehensive overview of the neurosciences, the trining progrm prepres prticipnts for multidisciplinry brin reserch nd lluring ntionl nd interntionl creer opportunities. There re 33 new PhD students ech yer, of which eight to ten re from foreign countries such s Chin, Itly, Frnce nd Polnd. The PhD students re hired under the so clled OIO-greement. All new PhD students hve n intke interview with the eductionl bord of ONWAR. This will serve s the bsis of personlized eduction pln, which however lwys includes generl introduction course followed by lb tour. Specilized courses re offered on neurophysiology, neurophrm cology, neuro - ntomy, moleculr neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, neurodegenertive diseses, nd systems nlysis techni - ques. Generl courses del with niml experimen ttion nd ethicl spects of ptient relted reserch. For PhD students t more dvnced level, there is course on grnt writing s bsis for the next step in their creer. For further informtion see: nd 12

13 BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE The PhD progrm in Biomedicl Science is orgnized by the Ersmus MC reserch deprtments of Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Clinicl Genetics, Reproduction nd Development, Forensic Moleculr Biology, nd Bioinformtics. Yerly, we ccept ten to fifteen new PhD students from round the globe into our interntionlly cclimed reserch groups. Students nd stff re ll members of the Medicl Genetics Center postgrdute school (MGC). Currently there re 50 PhD students employed. The MGC postgrdute school is joint inititive of Leiden University Medicl Center (LUMC) nd Ersmus MC, offering eduction, prcticl trining, nd coching to ll PhD students within its institutes. PhD progrm in Biomedicl Science full-time ppointment for period of four yers gross monthly slry of 2086 EUR in the first yer, incresing to 2673 EUR in the lst yer socil benefits mndtory nd elective courses, up to 30 ECTS dily supervision nd coching in the lb doctorte degree (PhD) fter four yers Entry requirements: Mster of Science degree in ny of the life sciences cdemic excellence. Applictions: Send your detiled curriculum vite including three references, plus letter of motivtion, to Dr Niels Gljrt, PhD vi the e-mil ddress For further informtion visit: nd 13

14 PhD courses In ddition to the discipline-bsed PhD progrms listed bove, Ersmus MC Grdute School offers set of generl PhD courses tht cover topics relevnt to lrge group of PhD students. There re currently four kinds of courses. Biomedicl English Writing nd Communiction The course in Biomedicl English Writing nd Communi - ction hs two min objectives: () to provide prcticl guidelines for writing well-structured nd fully redble biomedicl rticles nd (b) to provide frmework for effective orl presenttions. There re sixteen 150-minute sessions over consecutive weeks. All prticipnts should hve completed t lest twelve months of their PhD period, nd should hve enough dt to complete n rticle by the time the course ends. Ersmus MC give brief outline of ll importnt methodologicl strting points on this field nd the course is n excellent overture for further insight in more tpered post grdute eduction. Also informtion is supplied bout the cquisition of money for reserch. The Bsiscursus Regelgeving en Orgnistie vn Klinische trils (BROK) The min subjects of the course re the interntionl Good Clinicl Prctice (GCP) rules, which especilly include the rules concerning the responsibilities of the reserchers in reltion to prticipting ptients. The Bord of Directors hs estblished the obligtion for reserchers within the Ersmus MC who hve the dily responsibility for ptient relted reserch to follow the course nd to do the ccompnying exm with good result. Biosttistics nd Reserch Methods A selection of courses on generl sttistics nd methodology provide ll PhD students in Ersmus MC with solid theoreticl bckground, both on bsic nd n dvnced level. For exmple: Study design Clssicl methods for dt nlysis Biosttistics for clinicins Repeted mesurements Lbortory Animl Science This course ims to provide bsic knowledge, competence nd skills tht re essentil to the humne use of nimls in experiments nd to the qulity of niml reserch. The course hs been pproved by the government for the qulifi ction of scientists who use nimls for experimentl purposes (in complince with the Dutch Animl Reserch Act). Reserch Integrity This course ims to shre experiences, nlyze cses, discuss ethicl dilemms nd steps to possible solutions, nd reflect on the ethicl nd institutionl topics reserchers re fced with. Think of issues such s: dependency of juniors on seniors reserchers, coopertion in reserch tems, uthorship, deling with dt, presenting outcomes of reserch, publiction strtegies, finncil constrints or pressures, ethics in clinicl studies, niml use, et ceter. CPO-mini-course: methodology of ptient orientted reserch nd preprtion for subsidy ppliction. This course is for ll beginning reserchers involved in ptient relted reserch. The best experts of the Prcticl mtters for PhD students Counseling Some deprtments work with independent mentors (i.e. tutors) who monitor the PhD student s progress. These re stff members from deprtment other thn tht of the supervisor, nd re identified in the eduction pln. The mentor is vilble for both the PhD student nd the supervisor, nd works in strict confidence. In the event of difficulties, he or she my decide to estblish n d-hoc dvisory pnel tht will help unrvel specific problems. PhD portfolio PhD students t Ersmus MC Grdute School re expected to present n overview of the PhD trining received s portfolio on the lst pge of the PhD thesis. PhD trining includes ll ctivities (e.g. courses, workshops, seminrs, conferences) tht support the development into n cdemic resercher. MDs re llowed to include ctivities from their medicl trining provided these re relevnt to the reserch ctivities. In ddition, the portfolio should include ll teching ctivities in the MD or other curricul. Doctorte ceremony Doctortes for PhD students t Ersmus MC re officilly wrded by Ersmus University Rotterdm, the university ceremonies office hndles the dministrtive procedures for the doctorte on behlf of the Rector Mgnificus. The regultions on obtining PhD degree t Ersmus University nd further informtion on the prcticlities of getting the degree re vilble t 14

15 Promers Promers is the representing body of ll PhD students t the Ersmus MC. As n Ersmus MC PhD student you utomticlly become member of Promers. The university covers the costs of your membership. The bord of Promers consists of five to eight PhD students from different reserch groups of Ersmus MC. The min gol of Promers is to stnd up for the rights of ll PhD-cndidtes, for instnce the right to follow courses nd the right to receive high qulity supervision during their reserch. The bord meets the Den nd the people of Humn Resources nd Reserch & Policy on regulr bse. Moreover, Promers dvises the PhD Committee bout the PhD Eduction Policy. Additionlly, when PhD-cndidtes hve questions or problems the bord of Promers cn offer help. Yerly, the bord monitors the working environment nd (dis)stisfction of PhD-cndidtes. The results re report - ed to the Den, people of Humn Resources nd Reserch & Policy, nd the members of the PhD Committee. Promers lso orgnizes socil events for its members such s drinks nights, bowling events, pop-quizzes nd more. The Interntionl Forum is n inititive tken by Promers to help Interntionl PhD students estblish themselves t Ersmus MC nd in Rotterdm. The min ctivities re socil events such s drinks nights nd fcebook-pge functioning s networking pltforms. 15

16 The evolution of influenz Björn Koel crries out reserch on the flu virus t the Virology deprtment. He ims to understnd the evolution of flu viruses. More thn 200 people in the Netherlnds die every yer s result of influenz. Vccintions re the wy to prevent this. Prticulrly the elderly ged over 65 yers nd people with underlying problems such s dibetes or hert nd lung disorders re high risk group. Nursing nd ttending stff re in dily contct with lrge group of ptients in hospitl who belong to this high risk group. Without relizing it themselves, stff cn infect very mny ptients. It therefore mkes sense to lso vccinte the nursing stff. Björn is studying the Influenz A/H3N2 virus. This virus hs been cusing epidemics in humns since This long history mens tht the virus is well-documented. Influenz A viruses re constntly chnging, Björn explins. These chnges enble the viruses to get round immunity cquired erlier by people. This mens tht vccintions hve to be constntly dpted to continue to offer optiml protection. We re trying to determine which chnges in the virus genetic informtion cuse the immunity previously cquired to no longer be sufficient to mke the chnged viruses hrmless. These muttions were in the pst responsible for new outbreks of influenz A/H3N2. Björn nd his collegues hve recently recorded the muttions over the pst 35 yers. Most of the chnges occur in the hemgglutinin protein of the virus. Normlly the ntibodies formed in n erlier immune response will recognize this protein enbling the virus to be eliminted. Chnges in the genetic informtion for this protein hve resulted in the immune system no longer recognizing the virus. This enbled this virus to once gin infect mny people. Björn: Viruses llow you to be ble to crry out smll-scle reserch on evolution. Becuse the viruses chnge so quickly, 35-yer period is reltively long. You cn, so to spek, wtch evolution hppening before your eyes. In n idel future, Björn would like to be ble to predict how virus will evolve bsed on the observtions mde. Ultimtely, correct vccines cn be mde using this knowledge. Wht mkes this reserch so much fun? Björn: You cn study things tht re s yet unknown. You re involved in front-line reserch where new discoveries re mde. The only prt of reserch tht is less fun is hving to strt gin when n experiment fils. It would be gret to be ble to work on subject with my own reserch group once I hve obtined my PhD degree. Would you like to know more bout Björn? 16

17 You cn, so to spek, wtch evolution hppening before your eyes 17

18 Working with sex offenders Two dys week, Inge Hempel nlyzes the motives of sexul offenders t the Forensic Psychitry deprtment. On the other dys she is psychologist. I m especilly driven by my curiosity in finding out wht lies behind their behvior. Wht mkes them do things like this? And how cn you structure future tretment methods so s to prevent them finding new victims? People often sk me how I cn cope working with these kind of people. But it is something one is not usully confronted with. I cnnot begin to imgine wht they long for. If it were to ffect me bdly I would not be ble to do this work. Nturlly, I try to imgine myself hving their ides so tht I cn sk the right scientific questions. Inges PhD reserch focuses on the ides of sexul delinquents perpetuting or justifying the offensive behvior. In jrgon: cognitive distortions. Among mny pedophiles, for exmple, one of the ides is tht the children themselves wnt sex. This group lso justifies their behvior by climing tht they re giving form of sex eduction. Inge uses control group of 40 helthy men with no criminl record. In ddition, she tests 75 sexul offenders who re lso ll mle. This ctegory is mde up of three sub-groups: pedophiles who hve committed sexul offence, child porn downloders who hve not ssulted children nd sexul offenders who hve committed n offence ginst dults. Inge explins: The hypothesis is tht ll sexul offenders hve cognitive distortions but tht there re differences between the groups. The experimentl subjects re tested by, mong other, computer ssignment which should revel whether they see ssocitions between the words on the screen nd sex. In ddition, we sk them wht their ides re on children nd sex. Another prt of the reserch concerns the reltion between sexul buse in their youth nd these cognitive distortions lter in life. It hs been known for while tht sexul offenders re reltively more likely to hve been confronted with sexul buse in their youth. Inge finds combining her work s psychologist nd resercher idel. She relly wnted both jobs s in reserch you sometimes miss the connection with ctul prctice. One of the dvntges she hs s prcticing psychologist is tht she cn explin the impct of her reserch on dily prctice in her publictions. I work t n outptient clinic tht trets people who hve been in trouble with the lw, including sexul offenders. I sk these people whether they would voluntrily like to prticipte in my study. They re often willing to do this. Sometimes two jobs is bit much. But wht pplies to me is: the busier I m, the hrder I work. With no time pressure I just tke it esy. Initilly, I relly hd to do my best to find routine in my work. I still im to obtin my PhD degree within four yers. I just don t know whether I ll mnge. And her plns for the future? In ny cse, Inge wnts to crry out reserch nd continue working s psychologist. In ddition, t lter stge I my wnt to go into teching. I cn imgine it being gret to tech forensic psychology or psychitry to students. This is still n unexplored field in eduction t mny universities. I would love to expnd this. Would you like to know more bout Inge? 18

19 The busier I m, the hrder I work 19

20 From pinstking work to ntionl television Postdoctorl student Mrijn Vujkovic hs just strted quieter period fter her PhD t Ersmus MC s Deprtment of Obstetrics nd Gyncology. She hs, mong other, proven tht men with Dutch eting ptterns hve higher sperm concentrtion. This cused rel medi swoop. A few dys before my disserttion defense, Ersmus MC published press relese nd on the morning of 18 October my reserch ws on the front pge of the free dily newspper Spits. The following dy I ws interviewed by mny Dutch rdio sttions. In the evening, I ws invited to pper on Pul de Leeuw s ntionl television show. I prticulrly enjoyed being ble to communicte the messge of my PhD reserch to other trget groups. My reserch shows which eting ptterns re conducive to helthy offspring. Scientific messges usully only rech those people who lredy led helthy life. The csul wy in which the medi presented the messge did justice to the delicte subject mtter. Mrijn nlyzed dt collected from previous popultion studies for four yers. Her reserch focused on two groups: women with toddlers with congenitl defects nd couples who underwent IVF tretment in hospitl. The first group received questionnire bout eting hbits 19 months fter hving given birth. This is clled retrospective reserch. This ws necessry s congenitl defects re very rre mking it logisticlly nd finncilly unfesible to exmine lrge groups of women before the birth of their child. Previous studies hd lredy shown tht eting ptterns re constnt nd vritions re only cused by sesonl influences. This is why the women received the questionnire bout their eting hbits exctly 24 months fter conception of their child. It is ssumed tht this eting pttern does not differ substntilly from the pttern two yers erlier. The women hd to nswer questions bout wht, how much nd how often they hd eten. The findings showed tht women with Mediterrnen eting ptterns ( lot of vegetble oil, vegetbles, fruit, fish nd dried pes nd bens) hve reduced chnce of getting child with spin bifid. Moreover, it ppers tht women with unhelthier Western eting ptterns (sncks, sweets, sturted oils nd met) re more likely to get child with hrelip. This study brings you very close to society. Food is inseprbly linked to people. For the second prt of her study, couples received similr questionnire during the period of their IVF tretment. The men nd women hd to nswer the sme questions, from two weeks before fertiliztion of the ovum until two weeks fter the fertiliztion. The qulity of the sperm, the number of egg cells nd the number of egg cells finlly fertilized were lso checked for this study. Putting this into perspective: The findings on the fertility of men in reltion to their eting ptterns re ctully by-product of my reserch. We were prticulrly interested in femle fertility. Funnily enough, it ws the results of the men tht produced so much commotion in the medi. Crrying out reserch cn therefore be n emotionl rollercoster. Everything you do is n experiment. Occsionlly the results cn be disppointing. But there re lso wonderfully nice moments when you discover the unexpected. Mrijn Vujkovic is currently postdoctorl resercher. She did her PhD t the Netherlnds Institute for Helth Sciences (Nihes). This is one of the five reserch schools of Ersmus MC Grdute School. Would you like to know more bout Mrijn? 20

21 There re wonderfully nice moments when you discover the unexpected 21

22 Sherlock Holmes in the lb Susn Wlsh, from Irelnd, is in her third yer of doctorl reserch t the Forensic Moleculr Biology deprtment. She develops tests to identify the physicl chrcteristics of criminls using DNA nlysis. It s so gret tht I decided four yers go tht I wnted to go in this direction nd tht I m now ctully doing it. A criminl only needs to hve touched pen or piece of pper for few seconds. Tht is long enough for Susn: This is sufficient to be ble to mke stisfctory nlysis s the tests tht we develop re so sensitive nd specific. Susn develops these forensic tests for DNA remins found t crime scene. She hs just finished her first test: the Iris-Plex. This test cn determine with gret certinty whether the offender hs brown or blue eyes. Green eyes re slightly more complicted geneticlly. Additionl reserch will be necessry to discover the genes responsible for green eye color which is why it is currently not yet possible to prove this eye color using the Iris-Plex. Susn is responsible for the development of the finl product. However, prior to this mny stges hve to be pssed first: We hve bnk with the DNA of thousnds of people. For vrious chrc - teristics reserchers determine which DNA sequence these chrcteristics hve in common. A vlue is given to these sequences using sttisticl models. This vlue indictes in wht percentge of the DNA smples the chrcteristic concerned cn be expected to be found. Bsed on the physicl chrcteristics the vritions in the SNPS (Single nucleotide poly morphisms) re looked t. These re differences in single nucleotide on the DNA. In the cse of brown nd blue eye color 6 SNPS (of six different genes) re involved. Susn s tests clerly show these differences by using different stins. According to Susn the Netherlnds is the best country for this type of reserch. Dutch legisltion llows the police to use techniques not yet permitted in other countries. There is, however, lso limit to this: The tests tht I use my not be used s evidence in court. They re used exclusively s extr tools in cses where police investigtions come to stndstill. Susn is visibly in her element when she tlks bout her reserch. It hs mde me look t people differently. There re so mny differences in the wy people look. When I meet people I look them stright in the eyes to see whether I notice strnge circle or something else. Fortuntely there is still enough to do in forensic moleculr biology. In ny cse, I wnt to develop test for hir nd skin color. I intend to do this within the four yers I hve to do my PhD. Susn preferbly lwys wnts to continue doing forensic reserch: In the future it should be possible to mke composite sketch of the suspect bsed on DNA. When I red bout yet nother murder in the newspper I know tht my reserch cn mke difference. 22

23 It should be possible to mke composite sketch of the suspect bsed on DNA 23

24 Attcking tumors using het Zef Rijnen is crrying out reserch t the Rdiotherpy deprtment on equipment tht hets mlignnt tumors in the hed or neck. The hed nd neck pplictor is collr with ntenns tht generte electromgnetic wves. I do not wnt to develop equipment tht is of no use to physicins. We re currently unble to ttin the desired 43 degrees Celsius becuse the ptient experiences too much discomfort. Previous reserch showed tht this is the idel temperture for the tret - ment. Hyperthermi, which is the officil nme of the heting, is supportive gent. The het improves, mong other, the blood circultion resulting in the dministered chemotherpy reching the tumor more esily. As such, it lso kills tumor cells nd it mkes the cells more susceptible for rdiotherpy nd the chemotherpy dministered. The pin experienced by ptients t 43 degrees Celsius is cused by energy levels tht re too high in combintion with cooling tht is too low. Zef: We try to het the tumor tissue s much s possible nd leve the helthy tissue unffected. The electromgnetic wves cuse the slts present in the body to vibrte thereby bringing bout friction nd generting het. By shifting the energy generted in the tumor we hope the tretment will be esier to ber. An dditionl benefit is tht we cn increse the re to be heted. Reserch on hyperthermi hs been crried out t Ersmus MC since In the lst ten yers it hs gined momentum s result of new knowledge nd improved computer simultions. The tretment is prticulrly used on recurrent tumors. After recurrence, high dose rdition is no longer permitted. The supportive het cn then be remedy. A tumor t the surfce of the body is heted for n hour. A deeper tumor is first heted for hlf n hour nd then treted with het for nother hour. Ptients receive hyperthermi once week. This cn increse to four to five times in totl. Zef works closely with the hospitl physicins. It s rel one-two between me nd the physicin. He hs the medicl knowledge nd I hve the technicl know-how. I m currently working on improved tretment methods nd better computer simultions. In order to determine wht the electromgnetic wves do in the body, Zef mesures the temperture during the heting with thermometer in the body. He then reltes the temperture to the mount of energy introduced. He hs then lredy t n erlier stge determined how fr the wves ctully penetrte into the humn tissue using computer simultion. The computer progrm used to do this origintes from the cell phone industry. If Noki develops new telephone, for exmple, they lso wnt to know whether it meets ll the sfety requirements. They hve progrm for this tht predicts how fr the wves penetrte the hed. We hve good contcts with the mkers of this progrm nd we re working together with them on its further development for medicl pplictions. Ersmus MC hs tught me how importnt coopertion between physicins nd engineers is. After finishing this I would like to work s trinee clinicl physicist in hospitl or within compny. 24

25 I do not wnt to develop equipment tht is of no use to physicins 25

26 An bundnce of imges As recent PhD grdute, Michiel Schp is member of reltively young Ersmus MC reserch group. The Biomedicl Imging Group Rotterdm ws founded pproximtely 10 yers go nd is prt of the Rdiology nd Medicl Informtics deprtments. Biomedicl imge processing is the reserch of the future. Imges will ply n incresingly importnt role in hospitls. Not only in dignosis but lso in trcking the course of ptient s disese. The Biomedicl Imging reserch group develops computer progrms to obtin relevnt informtion from ll these imges. For exmple, this progrm cn identify rtery stenosis from CT hert scn. Modern scns cn cover the entire wll of lrge room. Rdiologists hve to serch the entire imge for smll structures. This is very time consuming. Vluble time is sved by hving computers nlyze the imges. Moreover, the results re reproducible. Michiel: A computer, fter ll, keeps repeting the sme thing while this is very difficult for humns to do. Michiel s reserch group consists of pproximtely 40 people, lmost ll of whom re in physics, mthemtics or biomedicl technology. He himself strted in computer sciences. Even when I ws t High School I ws unsure whether I wnted to study medicine or computer sciences. When I becme the coch of student rowing tem I strted to become more bsorbed in the humn body. My interest in ll things medicl only grew s result of this. Eventully, brochure entitled Medicl Imging, given to him by his computer sciences supervisor, pointed Michiel in the right direction. Michiel compres his reserch to three-stge rocket. To strt off with there is the physicin who wnts something done with stck of imges. I ws instructed to mesure the coronry rtery. I strted with synthetic three-dimensionl imge. Within this imge I tried to find elongted structures tht look like blood vessels. During this first stge it is minly mtter of deling with mthemticl formuls nd solving the puzzles. Michiel pplied the results of this serch to medicl imges. You immeditely stumble on ll sorts of prcticl problems. How do you dpt the generic method in such wy tht it lso works for medicl imges? How do you del with the pthology imges? I relly like this phse. You hve to work closely with the physicin. He hs to convey his knowledge of medicl imges to me. Michiel strted the third stge s postdoctorl resercher. We re going to pply wht we hve lerned in the previous stges in lrge-scle clinicl studies. Depending on the loction nd the degree of coronry rtery stenosis we will try, for exmple, to predict ptient s risk for hert ttck. In current prctice, percutneous coronry interventions re performed in cses with 70% coronry rtery stenosis. It is possible tht in the future we will be ble to determine more ccurtely, with the help of computers, when percutneous coronry interventions re necessry. 26

27 Biomedicl imge processing is the reserch of the future 27

28 An The bundnce biology behind of imges economics As Wouter recent PhD vn grdute, den Berg Michiel is bit Schp of n odd is mn member out t of Ersmus reltively MC. Although young Ersmus he willmc reserch officilly group. receive The his Biomedicl doctorte from Imging the Economics Group Rotterdm fculty of ws Ersmus founded University pproximtely Rotterdm, 10 yers go mjor nd prt is prt of his of reserch the Rdiology hs been nd crried Medicl out Informtics the deprtments. of Neurobiologicl Biomedicl imge Psychitry. processing I m both is rel the reserch neuroscientist of the nd future. rel economist. Imges After completing will ply his n incresingly degree Business importnt Economics, role in hospitls. Wouter took Not only risk in by dignosis doing reserch but lso mster in trcking Neuroscience the course longside of ptient s his doctorte. disese. I The completed Biomedicl the youth Imging trining reserch progrm group of develops Excelsior computer Rotterdm progrms Footbll Club to obtin nd ws relevnt member informtion of the young from ll tlent these select imges. tem. For Our exmple, triner this drilled progrm us never to cn shoot identify the rtery bll using stenosis the outside from CT of our hert shoes scn. except when scoring gol. For me this mens tht you hve to feel free to tke risks provided tht risk pys bck. Modern scns cn cover the entire wll of lrge room. Rdiologists hve to serch the entire imge Wouter for ws smll wrmly structures. welcomed This by is very Neurosciences, time consuming. despite Vluble his lck of time regulr is sved Biology by hving degree. computers I ws given nlyze the chnce the imges. to show Moreover, wht I m the worth results nd fortuntely re reproducible. I ws Michiel: ble to live A computer, up to expec - fter ttions ll, by keeps grduting repeting with the distinction. sme thing The while clssicl this is economic very difficult theory for humns considers to humns do. to be utility mximizing nd rtionl ctors. Economists mke the ssumption tht humns mke Michiel s considered reserch decisions group bsed consists intended of pproximtely results. So why 40 people, do we lmost leve ll tip of in whom resturnt re in physics, for mthemtics someone we will or biomedicl never see gin? technology. This yields He himself no direct strted personl in computer gin. Wouter: sciences. As Even yet, economists when I ws hve t come High no School further I ws thn unsure putting whether it down I wnted to emotions to study nd medicine feelings without or computer going sciences. into further When I detil. becme This the is coch not specific of student enough rowing for me. tem I lso I strted wnt to to understnd become more the mechnisms bsorbed in the behind humn it. body. My interest in ll things medicl only grew s result of this. Eventully, brochure entitled My supervisor Medicl t Imging, the Fculty given of Economics to him by his very computer interested sciences in neuro-economics. supervisor, pointed This Michiel new profes in - the sionl right discipline direction. focuses on identifying the biologicl processes involved in economic decisions. In order to be ble to obtin new insights, my supervisor felt it ws importnt for me to lern the ins Michiel nd outs compres of neurosciences his reserch from to the three-stge rel specilists rocket. which To strt is why off he with gve there me room is the to physicin develop my who wnts cpbilities something within done Ersmus with MC stck nd to of eventully imges. I ws submit instructed number to of mesure reserch the proposls. coronry rtery. I strted with synthetic three-dimensionl imge. Within this imge I tried to find elongted structures When Wouter tht hd look completed like blood vessels. reserch During proposl this by first the stge end of it is the minly second mtter yer of of his deling Msters with mthemticl in Reserch it ws formuls pproved nd by solving both the his supervisor puzzles. nd the deprtment of Neurobiologicl Psychitry. For his reserch proposl Wouter considered which humn emotion ppeled to him Michiel most nd pplied this turned the results out to of be this resilience. serch to There medicl re imges. people who You find immeditely it very difficult stumble to go on on ll sorts living of fter prcticl experiencing problems. nsty How experience. do you dpt But the there generic re method lso people in such who drw wy tht energy it lso from works such negtive for medicl experiences imges? nd How mnge do you del to do with things the differently pthology next imges? time I round. relly like Psychitrists this phse. You look hve t the to first work group closely while with I m the interested physicin. in He the hs ltter. to convey his knowledge of medicl imges to me. After nlogy of this exmple you could imgine tht there re people t one end of spectrum Michiel with very strted poor socil the third skills. stge At the s postdoctorl other end of the resercher. sme spectrum We re one going cn to find pply people wht who we hve re very lerned socible. in the previous Empthy stges is currently in lrge-scle once gin clinicl very studies. importnt Depending skill for sles on the people loction nd mngers. nd the degree They must, of coronry fter ll, rtery be ble stenosis to understnd we will try, the for problems exmple, of to their predict customers ptient s or their risk stff. for In hert ttck. ddition In to current reserch prctice, mong percutneous mngers nd coronry sles people, interventions Wouter re is lso performed crrying in out cses fundmentl with 70% coronry reserch in rtery the lbortory. stenosis. It The is possible mice used tht by in Wouter the future re to we show will be him ble how to socil determine interction more works ccurtely, mong humns. with the He set help up of the computers, following when experiment percutneous to do this: coronry Two interventions mice fight ech re other necessry. in mtch. One will be the winner, the other the loser. This will tech us something bout socil dominnce but the spect of deling with setbcks will lso become pprent. By identifying the hormones nd specific genes beforehnd n understnding of which hormones nd genes ply role in these kinds of socil processes cn be gined. Would you like to know more bout Wouter? 28

29 This mens tht Biomedicl you hve to feel imge processing free to tke risks is the reserch of provided tht the future risk pys bck VOORBEELDFOTO. ECHTE FOTO VOLGT. 29

30 Sty in touch! Ersmus MC Grdute School hs severl socil medi ccounts. These serve to keep in touch with us nd lern bout wht we re doing. We invite you to join these ccounts nd shre your thoughts, sk questions nd tell us bout yourself. See you there! And off course you re lso welcome to visit our website for more informtion on the topics covered. Colophon Ersmus MC Postl ddress Visiting ddress P.O. Box 2040 Dr. Molewterplein CA Rotterdm Rotterdm Text: Finl editing: Photogrphy: Design & Printing: Ersmus MC Ko Hgoort Alin Gil Gonzlez, Piet Sml nd Levien Willemse. B&T Ontwerp en dvies, Rotterdm 30

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32 B&T Ontwerp en dvies (