I am excited to join this amazing team and to do impactful research together.

I am a 24-year-old from Belgium who loves a good challenge. My background in pharmaceutical sciences and drug development, combined with my genetic engineering experience, gives me a unique perspective on the current unmet medical needs and ways to fulfil these needs with a rational engineering approach.

I decided to partake in RETORNA as it offers a multidisciplinary collaboration to tackle a common goal – treating retinal diseases with RNA therapy. My project focuses on age-related macular degeneration, a devastating disease that results in vision loss. With an innovative approach using an RNA aptamer, I hope to get one step closer to preventing one of the leading causes of blindness in elderly people.

 

Interests and hobbies ofNathalie Smeets

When I am not in the lab, I am always up to try something new – whether it is a new sport, such as rock climbing or fencing, or trying out a new recipe. At the weekend, you can usually find me on my couch with a good book, on a yoga mat or in a bar.