"When I was little, I wanted to be a teacher, and then a doctor. But instead of prescribing my patients a particular pill, I wanted to understand which pill works best and why. That’s why I opted for biochemistry, a very fundamental field of research in which I study the building blocks of life. Proteins, in my case. A healthy human body contains about twenty thousand different proteins. They are invisible to the naked eye, but with the help of computer programs, I can visualize them in three dimensions. This allows me to see how they interact with other proteins or with medicines. You can think of a protein as a lock with a specific key that fits. By analyzing the structures I see on my screen, I help other researchers describe the shape of this lock so they can develop a medicine with a key that fits perfectly. That way, the drug targets only that one specific protein while leaving others untouched. I enjoy chemical reactions, even in my free time—but in the kitchen instead. I love cooking and baking. My colleagues will surely miss my cakes and pastries!"
Ida de Vries will defend her PhD thesis on April 3.
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society.
Understanding Macromolecules and their Interactions. Computational Methods and Experimental Insights
prof. dr. A. (Anastassis) Perrakis
R.P. (Robbie) Joosten