As of September 1st, 2025, I have taken on the role of programme coordinator for the Bachelor’s programme in Biomedical Sciences (BMW). It’s a special step for me, since I first started as a BMW student myself back in 2009. At the time, I never would have dreamed that I’d one day succeed Dr. Astrid Freriksen – someone I’ve always looked up to. It’s a nice reminder that you don’t need to see the whole future clearly when you’re just starting your studies. I didn’t have a carefully mapped-out plan, but I do believe that opportunities come your way for a reason.
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I went on to pursue the master’s programme in Biomedical Sciences, in the track Biology of Disease (now comparable to Cardiovascular Health and Disease). Afterwards, I briefly worked as a policy officer and discovered how much I enjoy working behind the scenes in education. Still, research kept calling, and in 2015 I began my PhD project on the role of immune cells in atherosclerosis, which I completed three years later.
Since 2018, I’ve been working as a lecturer and researcher within the BMW bachelor’s programme. In that role, I’ve been involved in research on admission and selection, the development of the Data Science learning line, and teaching courses on topics such as flow cytometry and programming in R.
Outside of work, I’m married to Esther and the proud father of four children: Hadassah (9), Sarah (6), and twins Abel and Juda (4). In my free time, I enjoy playing volleyball or improvising on the piano — most recently at my sister’s wedding (see photo).
I look forward to meeting you and working together to create an inspiring study environment. Do you have any questions or would you just like to get acquainted? Feel free to come talk to me or send me a message — I’d love to get to know you!
Kind regards,
John Meeuwsen
