Gijs-Jan started his PhD in the NeuroD group in February 2025. Before this, he completed the bachelor’s degree in Molecular Life Sciences and the master’s degree in Medical Biology at Radboud University. During his studies, Gijs-Jan became interested in antisense oligonucleotides and gained experience with this during his internships.
During his PhD, Gijs-Jan will conduct research into allele-specific antisense oligonucleotides for spinal cerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). This new therapy aims to selectively reduce the translation of the toxic protein without affecting the expression of the healthy protein. Moreover, he will conduct research into the delivery of oligonucleotide therapies in the central nervous system after systematic administration.