Join us for an inspiring TechTalk where innovators, researchers, and industry professionals come together to explore the latest developments in life sciences and technology. The event will focus on current developments in the field, with speakers sharing their work, ideas, and experiences. It’s a chance to hear what others are working on, ask questions, and get a feel for the projects shaping the park right now.
Speakers:
- Walter Pirovano – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Research in CTG explores the genetic and environmental causes of individual differences in brain-related health and disease. The group integrates knowledge from different fields (genetics, neuroscience, bioinformatics, biology, machine learning), uses and develops analytical tools to analyze and understand genomic data for complex traits, and connect to neuroscience to prove causation in wet-lab experiments. The research of Walter Pirovano focuses on the gut–brain axis, investigating how interactions between the microbiome and the brain influence health and disease. - Jos Seegers – Caelus Life Sciences
At Caelus Life Sciences we analyze the microbiota for bacteria that uniquely affect cardio metabolic conditions such as pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes and Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (previously indicated as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). Several strains have been identified that are closely associated with blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. Caelus develops these strains to become the first next generation probiotics that have proven health benefits. - Dinja Oosterhoff – Bactheravax
Bactheravax is developing a first-in-class therapeutic vaccine targeting Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacterium increasingly recognized as a key driver of colorectal cancer progression, metastasis, immune evasion, and treatment resistance. By selectively targeting this tumor-associated bacterium, Bactheravax is pioneering a new class of microbiome-targeted immunotherapies for cancer. During this TechTalk, Dinja will introduce Bactheravax’s scientific approach and share the latest preclinical data supporting this novel therapeutic strategy, highlighting the potential of targeting the tumor microbiome to improve outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer. - Wouter Veneman and Alex Kirov – BaseClear
At BaseClear, we are implementing the new Ultima UG200 sequencer (launched in early 2026) for metagenome sequencing. With significantly reduced reagent costs compared to conventional NGS instruments and the capacity to run thousands of samples weekly, we are expanding our capabilities for deep shotgun metagenomics and large-scale population studies.
Practical information
- When: Tuesday, 15th of September
- Time: 15:00 – 18:00
- Location: BaseClear, Sylviusweg 74, 2333 BE Leiden
