Willemijn Vader, Ph.D. - CEO

Willemijn is a seasoned entrepreneur devoted to turning breakthrough solutions into market‑ready products. With a Ph.D. in immunology from LUMC and 13 years at Sanofi, she brings over 20 years of oncology expertise. Since the founding of VitroScan in 2016, she has mobilized medical partner collaborations, closed multiple funding rounds, delivered solid proof‑of‑concept data, and built grant consortia to secure financing, all driven by a personal commitment to improve treatment efficacy and patients’ quality of life. Outside the office, Willemijn’s energy extends to commuting by bike and exploring great natural landscapes on hikes.

Donny van der Meer, Ph.D. – Head of Bioinformatics

Donny leads VitroScans’ bioinformatics division, translating complex image‑based datasets into clinically actionable insights. His entrepreneurial background accelerates solution development for customers, while his tenure as a software developer at the Sanger Institute endowed him with end‑to‑end expertise in scientific software engineering. Donny’s talent for distilling intricate data pipelines into clear, validated services drives the efficiency and robustness of our platform.

Esmee Koedoot, Ph.D. – Head of Cancer Biology

Esmee heads the Cancer Biology team, steering assay development, quality control, and 3D culture technologies toward improved patient outcomes. She earned her doctorate researching breast cancer and honed further expertise at HUB Organoids and Charles River Laboratories. Passionate about advancing therapeutic strategies, Esmee and her team integrate cutting‑edge biology into VitroScan's predictive pipeline, directly contributing to better treatment decisions for patients.

Timothy Sijsenaar, M.Sc. - Associate Scientist

Timothy oversees laboratory operations and the logistical flow of patient specimens from partner hospitals. Holding an M.Sc. in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from Leiden University, he applies a results‑driven, analytical mindset to manage diverse sample sets and expand experimental methodologies. Outside the lab, Timothy enjoys long‑distance running and travel, bringing the same curiosity and discipline to his scientific work.

Anton Mat, M.Sc. - Head of Business 

Anton directs external collaborations, positioning VitroScan's platform to de‑risk the clinical development of novel (immune‑)oncology agents. As a trained biochemist with over 25 years of commercial experience, he bridges pharma and biotech partners with our technology, accelerating the delivery of effective cancer therapies to the right patients. Anton’s energetic, open demeanor fuels every partnership, complemented by his enthusiasm for sport.

Felix Behr, Ph.D. - Senior Scientist Immunology 

Felix ensures timely, high‑quality testing of patient samples and expands the platform with immune‑focused assays. After completing a Ph.D. and postdoctoral work in T‑cell biology, he contributed to T‑ and NK‑cell engineering at Sanofi. His scientific curiosity drives the deep characterization of immune responses to cancer immunotherapies. Felix is also an avid nature lover and photographer.

Léa Le Large M.Sc. - Bioinformatician 

Léa refines the automation of VitroScan's image‑analysis workflow and develops our IT platform using Python. A graduate of INSA Lyon in bioinformatics, she brings a rapid, problem‑solving mindset to complex challenges that ultimately benefit patients with serious disease. Léa thrives in collaborative environments, balancing her love of sport and coffee with a dedication to precision engineering.

Farbod Khoraminia, M.Sc. - Bioinformatician 

Farbod converts intricate laboratory data into clear visualizations, builds robust pipelines for streamlined data flow, and conducts rigorous analyses that accelerate drug‑candidate evaluation. His lifelong problem‑solving orientation, cultivated from childhood through academic research, now powers VitroScan’s automated image‑processing and data‑organization platform. Farbod is a deep thinker, continuous learner, and relentless challenger of assumptions.

Leonie de Best, M.Sc. - QMS management 

Leonie brings 25 years of biotech leadership, in various senior roles at SkylineDx, QurinDx, MyLife Technologies, Madam Therapeutics, and SurvivX. At VitroScan she supports the diagnostic product development and the implementation of an ISO‑15189‑compliant quality‑management system, aligning operational excellence with the company’s strategic goals. Known for her reliability, entrepreneurial spirit, and appreciation for nature and fine cuisine, Leonie ensures that every process meets the highest standards of quality and regulatory compliance.

Sonja Visscher, B.Sc. – Clinical Project Management 

Sonja Visscher serves as VitroScan’s Senior Clinical Project Manager, bringing 25 years of international clinical research expertise to the organization. Her portfolio spans early phase I investigations through intricate phase II studies in rare diseases, as well as expansive phase III and phase IV trials across oncology, immunology, cardiology, and medical‑device domains. Sonja’s depth of experience in designing, executing, and overseeing complex multi‑site programs equips VitroScan with the operational rigor and strategic insight needed to translate predictive technologies into clinically impactful outcomes.