"During my Bachelor's degree in Psychobiology, I discovered that my passion and skills were in programming. However, I also had a deep interest in biology. The Master's program in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology is situated right at that intersection between computer science and biology."

"The Master's program offers a wide range of opportunities. From there, you can focus on what interests you. Especially during your research internship, you have the chance to do exactly what you want."

"During my studies, I focused on protein structures. During my internship with Halima Mouhib, I looked at point mutations in protein structures and the changes in functionality in those structures, using atomistic simulations. Because atomistic simulations can take a very long time, it was a matter of cutting as much as possible for speed. I learned to find a healthy balance between the reality of biology and the computer's capacity. That's something I still pay attention to: how much does it cost to perform a calculation?"

"In addition, I had the opportunity to focus on teaching. After my first year, I worked as a teaching assistant for the faculty, which not only gave me some extra income but also allowed me to delve deeper into the course material. While I didn't shortchange myself, it was sometimes a challenge to combine my studies with teaching and other interests outside of my studies."

"I expected to end up as a software developer or lecturer after graduation. However, at a conference, I attended a presentation that I found very interesting and felt had a lot of potential. The last slide revealed they were looking for a PhD in bioinformatics. I made a small talk, applied, and got the position."

"Currently, I'm learning a lot about oncology, the immune system, and the interaction between the two. I think that's where the future of cancer treatment lies. If my research can build productively on that, I'd like to continue in that field academically, or return to teaching. It's essential to me that my career isn't just about money in the bank, but that I also feel like I'm contributing something."