Verstrepen alumni
Alumni across the globe
We love to stay in touch with students and postdocs that have fled the nest. Five (out of 8) ex-postdocs are now successful professors/PIs/Research Directors at renowned institutes like Harvard, CNRS, Zhejiang U., CIAT, & Oberlin College. Former PhD students are now postdocs at EMBL/CRG, TU Munich, DTU, or took key positions in industry.
Discover their stories and how they look back at their time in our lab...
Elham Aslankoohi
Project manager, UC Santa Cruz
PhD student at the Verstrepen lab, 2011-2015
"I truly enjoyed my time in the Verstrepen lab. Despite his extremely busy schedule, Kevin was always available for the people in his team. He would be in the lab every morning checking in with people and his office door was always open. He hires the right people, creating a great group atmosphere. Getting your PhD is a marathon and being surrounded with motivated people makes all the difference in helping you reach the finish line. The lab's language is English which makes international students feel welcomed."
Joaquin Christiaens
General Manager at the Bosteels Brewery, famous for iconic Belgian Specialty Beers such as Tripel Karmeliet, Pauwel Kwak & Deus. PhD student at the Verstrepen lab from 2010 to 2014.
"I look back fondly on my time at the Verstrepen lab. I made some good friends, and picked up a lot of knowledge and skills that have been crucial contributing factors for the career I have had since. I would not have been able to start my career in industry without the specific technical knowledge and inquisitive, scientific approach I picked up at the lab. The ownership that is fostered at the lab has been instrumental in the development of my roles since. Finally, I would say that the lab's size, many partners and international environment has greatly contributed to the stakeholder management that is required in multinational organisations."
Jana Helsen
As a ‘Bridging Excellence fellow’ funded by the EMBL | Stanford Life Science Alliance, Jana is currently a joint postdoc at the Dey lab at EMBL and the Sherlock lab at Stanford. PhD student of the Verstrepen lab from 2016 to 2021.
"My time in the Verstrepen lab has taught me how to do rigorous science, and it helped me develop my scientific independence, two crucial skills for anyone who wants to pursue a career in science, be it academia or R&D."
Ruben Wauters
Bioprocess Engineer at BioBrew
Former PhD student, graduated in 2022
"Learning 'how to science' among the diverse group of passionate researchers (and friends) at the Verstrepen lab has made for some of the more challenging and enjoyable years of my life."
Brigida Gallone
Marie-Sklodowska Curie postdoctoral fellow in biodiversity genomics | Naturalis Biodiversity Center (NL) | Member of the Verstrepen lab from 2012 to 2020
I had a fantastic time at the Verstrepen Lab, first as PhD student and then as postdoctoral researcher. I learned how to be a rigorous and independent scientist, while remaining persistent and resilient in the face of challenges. Each lab member pursues their own distinct project(s) and delves deeply into their specific questions, allowing room for cross-links and collaborations. Kevin consistently provided me with opportunities to explore diverse areas and research topics, ultimately enabling me to discover my own scientific niche.
Furthermore, all of this was absolutely fun because the Verstrepen lab was like my family.