I graduated as a physician in 1990, after which I travelled to Senegal for 4 years as a physician-researcher. At that time, Northern-Senegal was plagued by an unprecedented outbreak of Schistosoma mansoni, a worm infection that can be contracted by swimming in infected water. My role was to study the infection dynamics of this recently developed outbreak. It was a wonderful experience in which I generated a lot of data. This work resulted in my dissertation, which I defended in 1997 (Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden). These data also gave me the opportunity to follow a hands-on postdoctoral training in epidemiology at the VUMC.
Despite the wonderful years working in international public health, the hospital beckoned. In 1996 I therefore started my training as a specialist in pulmonary disease at the MUMC (Maastricht University Medical Center). Halfway through, while also caring for a young family, I cconcluded that an 80 hours hospital workweek did not match with family life. I opted for a teaching position in epidemiology, still at the MUMC. Four years later I started a new training as a clinical microbiologist. Being back in infectious diseases felt good, and in 2009 I was given the opportunity to start as a clinical microbiologist at the RadboudUMC. My areas of interest within microbiology became viral and parasitic infections. At the RadboudUMC I was able to experience two pandemics (Influenza A-H1N1-2009 and the COVID pandemic), sequentially lead the clinical virology and clinical parasitology, teach and do some research. The focus was always on diagnostic services.
In May 2022, my husband was given the opportunity to go to Taiwan, and I decided to go with him. During my stay there, I performed online teaching activities at the RadboudUMC and at the KCMU in Tanzania. Further I assisted a virology teaching program at the medical school at National Cheng Kun University (NCKU) in Tainan. Finally, I also studied Mandarin for one year at the NCKU, a very special experience!
Since February 2024, I was assigned program leader for infectious diseases in primary care at the Nivel. In this role I hope to contribute to transparent and effective infectious disease control in the Netherlands.