Prof. Dr. Fiona Watt

'Exploring cellular and genetic heterogeneity in head and neck cancer’

Fiona Watt obtained her first degree from Cambridge University and her DPhil, in cell biology, from the University of Oxford. She was a postdoc at MIT, where she began studying differentiation and tissue organisation in mammalian epidermis. She established her first research group at the Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology in London and then spent 20 years at the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) London Research Institute, a forerunner of the Francis Crick Institute. She helped to establish the CRUK Cambridge Research Institute and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research, and in 2012 she moved to King's College London to found the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. From 2018 to 2022 she was on secondment as Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council. In 2022 she moved to Heidelberg where she runs a lab at EMBL and is EMBO Director. That year she also founded Fibrodyne Limited, a start-up company dedicated developing cell therapies for skin scars. Her current research interests include the development of artificial niches to examine the dynamics of epidermal stem cell fate regulation. Amongst her numerous awards and honours, Fiona Watt is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, an EMBO member and an international member of National Academy of Sciences. 

Prof. dr René van der Hulst & Prof. dr. Ron van Golde

More information will follow!

Florien van Amstel

‘Prediction of axillary pathologic response using breast radiologic response on MRI following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer’

I am a final-year PhD candidate at the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Imaging at Maastricht University Medical Center+, supervised by prof. P.J. van Diest, prof. M.L. Smidt, dr. J.M. Simons, and dr. T.J.A. van Nijnatten. My research focuses on improving the treatment of breast cancer patients who receive chemotherapy before surgery, using pathology results and imaging, such as MRI, to predict how the lymph nodes in the axilla (armpit) respond to chemotherapy. The goal: identifying patients who may safely undergo less invasive axillary surgery, or avoid surgery altogether, thereby reducing overtreatment and improving quality of life. I was awarded travel grants (KOFL Travel Grant, EUSOBI Young Researcher Grant 2025, René Vogels Stipendium) to support a research visit to the University of Cambridge, under the supervision of prof. F. Gallagher and dr. F. Kilburn-Toppin, where I externally validated our MRI-based approach for predicting lymph node response in an independent patient cohort with different imaging protocols. 

Alex Jones

‘Translating your research to impact’

Alex Jones is a senior business development professional with over a decade of experience at the intersection of biotechnology, advanced therapeutics, and strategic innovation. He currently serves as Senior Business Developer at Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, where he helps accelerate early scientific innovations by fostering strategic partnerships, supporting high‑potential spin-off companies, and connecting scientific breakthroughs with industry and investment opportunities.

Alex previously held several business development roles in the biotech industry where he led global partnering, licensing, and strategic initiatives. He holds an MSc in Science and Business Management from Utrecht University and a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Leeds. 

Dr. Francesco Missale

‘My Maastricht Kick-Off: Advancing Care. Surveillance and Surgical Innovation in Head and Neck Oncology’

I am an ENT specialist and head and neck surgeon with an academic focus on head and neck oncology, translational research and clinical innovation. After obtaining my medical degree from the University of Brescia and completing my ENT residency at the University of Genoa, I developed expertise in bio-endoscopy, systemic immune biomarkers and clinical research.

This research trajectory led to a PhD in Precision Medicine at the University of Brescia, focused on the immune microenvironment of solid tumors, with particular emphasis on head and neck cancer. My doctoral work explored how systemic and tumor-associated immune features can inform prognosis, improve risk stratification and support more personalized oncological care.

International experience has strongly shaped my research profile. Supported by ESSO and EJP-RD-ERN fellowships, I completed a Clinical Research Fellowship at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, further consolidating my training as a head and neck surgeon and researcher.

Since 2023, I have worked as a head and neck surgeon at Maastricht UMC+, where I am involved as principal investigator in multicenter clinical studies evaluating new treatment strategies and medical devices for patients with head and neck cancer. My current research aims to optimize post-treatment follow-up by integrating biomarker monitoring, bio-endoscopy and patient-reported outcome measures into a personalized, evidence-based surveillance strategy. In March 2026, I was awarded an MUMC+ Academisch Fonds grant to support this work. In 2026, together with Anna Schueth, I also received the SWOL grant from the Universiteitfonds Limburg to lay the foundations for the application of light-sheet microscopy in head and neck surgical oncology.

Dr. Audrey Meulendijks

‘Risk based prevention for melanoma’

Audrey Meulendijks started working on a research line on research methodology in the prevention of melanoma in 2024. With this research line Audrey aims to apply and further develop modern epidemiological methodology from the fields of prediction research and causal inference to improve the prevention of melanoma. The overall objective of the research line is to optimize prevention strategies to decrease the individual, societal, and economic burden of diseases, by including contextual factors influencing prevention strategies and focusing on all levels of prevention.

Audrey is a registered Epidemiologist B and has been working at the department of Epidemiology since 2020. She has a variety of interests, but prevention has been the main focus in her career. Audrey obtained her PhD degree on the topic: Prevention of venous leg ulcers in patients with chronic venous insufficiency’ in 2020 at the department of Nursing Science of the Julius Centre Utrecht. After that she worked as a post-doc in research on adverse birth outcomes in Limburg compared to the Netherlands where she used real-world data and linked different data sources. Currently, she works on her research line within the Sector Plans – Prevention.

Dr. Peggy Geomini  

‘Empowering Women Through Science: Benign Gynecology Reimagined’

Peggy Geomini, MD PhD, is a gynaecologist at Máxima MC Veldhoven, trained in Medicine at Maastricht University and in Obstetrics & Gynecology within the OORZON consortium. She obtained her PhD in 2008 on the assessment of adnexal masses and has been active in clinical research alongside her clinical work since 2006. She has supervised five PhD projects as co‑promotor and was appointed Associate Professor with ius promovendi at GROW in August 2025. She has secured several ZonMw grants in the areas of heavy menstrual bleeding management and adnexal mass diagnostics, with her most recent project focusing on detecting bleeding disorders in women with heavy menstrual bleeding.

Prof. dr. Jeroen Hendriks

'Integrated Care for Future-Proof Healthcare Delivery'

Professor Hendriks holds the inaugural Chair in Nursing Sciences with a focus on Integrated Care at the Department of Nursing, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, and the Department of Health Services Research at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Previously, he held a Chair in Cardiovascular Nursing in Australia and is affiliated with the Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, Australia. His program of research focuses on the redesign of healthcare and the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative models of care delivery based on the concept of Integrated Care, for patients with chronic conditions, particularly atrial f ibrillation. Internationally, he is involved in multiple professional societies. He has a long-standing association with the Heart Rhythm Society, serving in a variety of roles over the years. He is the Chair of the Science Committee at the European Society of Cardiology’s Association on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP), and is the Deputy Editor of the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. He serves on multiple advisory boards and as an editorial board member for numerous international journals. His work has been internationally recognized. Recently he was awarded the Distinguished Allied Professional award at the Heart Rhythm Society (USA). In 2024, he was awarded the Fellowship of the American Heart Association; in 2023 he was awarded the Fellowship of the American Academy of Nursing; and in 2022 he was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. 

Pauline Theelen (dept. of Pathology) & Remigius van Alebeek (Scientific Information Specialist UB)

'Boosting Efficiency and Quality in Systematic Reviews: The Role of Library Support and ASReview’

Pauline Theelen obtained her Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Maastricht University in 2022. In 2024, she joined the Department of Pathology as a PhD candidate, where her research focuses on prognostic biomarkers in cutaneous melanoma.

As part of her PhD project, Pauline is currently conducting a systematic literature review on this research topic. She uses the AI-based tool ASReview to assist with literature screening and is supported by the Systematic Literature Review team at the University Library throughout the process.

Remy van Alebeek completed a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Maastricht University in 2023. In January 2024, Remy joined the University Library as a Scientific Information Specialist.

In this role, Remy is responsible for managing collections and providing information literacy education for FHML, MUMC+, and the AV-M. Additionally, Remy is a member of the Systematic Literature Review team, supporting UM and MUMC+ researchers in preparing high-quality reviews in line with professional standards (free of charge).

To date, Remy has assisted over 90 researchers, including 27 affiliated with GROW.