"When testing a new drug, it is crucial to find out how it behaves in the body. A technique we use to analyze this is called LC-MS/MS. I developed several protocols based on this technique to measure drug concentrations in samples taken from both humans and mice. One time I kept detecting unexplainable molecules, which meant that I couldn't continue my research. Even my colleagues had no idea what was going on. Later we found out that it concerned contamination from the dishwasher. We use a dishwasher in the lab to clean our glassware. It had taken me months to figure this out. It truly opened my eyes to the fact that you have to zoom out sometimes and find a simpler solution to your puzzle. No matter how long it takes, I greatly enjoy puzzling with molecules. After my defense, I will be puzzling with slightly larger molecules at Genmab, a biotechnology company in Utrecht."
Paniz will defend her thesis on January 9.
prof. dr. ir. W.E. Hennink
dr. ir. R.W. Sparidans en dr. A.H. Schinkel