Researcher of the Month

Heleen Arts

What research group do you belong to?
Nijmegen, Department of Human Genetics, Molecular Genetics, Proteomics group

What kind of research/activities?
I work as a molecular geneticist. In my research project I aim to find novel disease genes for ciliary disorders that are characterized by kidney disease/kidney cysts. I use a functional genomics approach that includes SNP array analysis, next-generation sequencing and proteomics.

What are your thoughts about the UMCN/IGMD, what do you like about it?
The open atmosphere and the fact that many people are collaborating with each other is very motivating.

What are your wishes/expectations for the future?
I hope to get better insights into the genetics of ciliopathies  (disorders that are caused by dysfunction of the cilium) and the disease mechanisms that underly these disorders. The recent development of next-generation sequencing is (and will be) speeding up the process of finding novel disease genes.