As of 1 October, our group head, Willeke van Roon-Mom, has been appointed as Leiden professor of Human Genetics, in particular of neurodegenerative disorders! So we now have a real Professor in our group.
“My entire scientific career I have been working on hereditary brain disorders that are caused by problems. Together with colleagues, I study the underlying disease mechanisms and, often together with companies, we develop therapies that target the recipe of these proteins, namely the RNA,” says Van Roon. The goal of these therapies is to change the recipe for protein depletion.
“However, some diseases are so rare that there is no interest from the industry in them. There is little hope for a therapy for these patients,” says Van Roon. But because all these unique patients together form a large group, Van Roon felt that something had to be done for them too. Therefore, together with professor Annemieke Aartsma-Rus the Dutch Center of RNA Therapeutics was established.
Read the entire news item on the LUMC website (Dutch only)
