Ph.D., Neuroscience, VU University
B.S. & M.S., Molecular Sciences, Wageningen University

With a fascination for all things small, I studied Molecular Sciences to gain an understanding of how big and small molecules form and act, and determine the properties of the simplest of solutions to the complex environment of a cell. As my fascination grew for the influence that molecules can exert on their biological environment, I pursued a PhD in the lab of Matthijs Verhage (Amsterdam) studying the role of protein transport and dynamics on synapse function. Currently, my research in the Biederer group focuses on answering how Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs), such as SynCAM1, dictate the composition of the synaptic cleft, regulate synapse remodeling in neuronal circuits, and ultimately control memory formation in the brain.