Josephine (Kim) Janssen

Research:

I am a research technician working at the interface of gene delivery and gene editing technologies. I am involved in the various research topics undergoing investigation in the Genome editing group at the Department of Cell and Chemical Biology of the LUMC. There are many crucial aspects underlying genome editing procedures that require further research and refinement. My research activities in this field include (i) investigating how to deliver the necessary programmable nucleases and donor DNA templates into human cells by testing the suitability of different types of viral vector systems, (ii) studying the role of epigenetic mechanisms on the performance of genome editing tools and strategies involving the recruitment of specific DNA repair pathways (e.g., non-homologous end-joining and homology-directed repair) and (iii) improving the specificity and fidelity of genome editing outcomes by programmable nuclease and donor DNA engineering.

Curriculum Vitae:

I studied biology and medical laboratory research, direction technical microbiology at Fontys Hogeschool Venlo/Eindhoven, the Netherlands. After obtaining my B.Sc. degree in July 2001, I started working for several months at SKGZON, in Maastricht, Department of Cytogenetics, Prenatal division. In December 2001, I became a Research technician in the LUMC, Department of Molecular Cell Biology (MCB), Gene Regulation group. In the group of Dr. H. van Dam, I was involved in several projects investigating cell stress responses. In 2007, I moved to the Virus and Stem Cell Biology group. Under the supervision of Dr. A.A.V. de Vries and later Dr. M.A.F.V Gonçalves, I worked on several projects related to the development of gene therapy strategies. Currently, I assist the various Ph.D. candidates and Postdoctoral fellows in the group. Our research dwells on investigating programmable nuclease-assisted genome editing strategies aiming at the efficient and precise genetic modification of human stem/progenitor cells.