“Proteins are so complex – that’s what makes our work exciting,” says Andrea Boonstra, scientist at the young and fast-growing company Portal Biotech on Campus Groningen. Together with her fellow scientist Lennard de Boer, Andrea shares how they found their way to this innovative company and what drives them in their work.
A unique opportunity
Andrea joined Portal Biotech through her graduation internship at Van Hall. “After completing my bachelor’s degree in Medical Microbiology, I was offered the chance to stay by Giovanni Maglia, CSO and co-founder of Portal Biotech and Professor of Chemical Biology at the University of Groningen. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I grabbed with both hands,” she says. This coming academic year, she’ll start her Master’s in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Groningen, while continuing part-time at Portal.
Lennard also found his way to Portal via his studies. After completing his bachelor’s in Medical Laboratory Research at Hanze University of Applied Sciences and a master’s in Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Groningen, he heard about the young biotech company through the grapevine. “I wanted more than just academic research. Portal Biotech was working on a groundbreaking project in protein analysis, and I wanted to be part of it up close.”
Pioneering work in Groningen and London
The international team at Portal Biotech is developing advanced technology both on Campus Groningen and in London, enabling researchers and doctors to look at proteins – the building blocks of our bodies – in an entirely new way. With their innovative measuring equipment, Portal Biotech can map individual proteins in full detail. This enables groundbreaking discoveries in healthcare and biology, and speeds up the development of new medicines and treatments.
Lennard explains: “We work with companies that use proteins – for example, in the pharmaceutical industry for drug development, or in the food industry for quality control. We help them understand whether their proteins have the right properties for their intended use through Single-Molecule Sensing.”
Creating your own opportunities
Although Lennard wasn’t initially keen on staying in Groningen, he now sees the value of the region. “There’s a lot happening here, thanks to the academic institutions and the network of innovative companies.” Andrea and Lennard emphasize how important it is for students and young professionals to actively network and create their own opportunities on campus. “What we’re doing here is unique: a combination of applied science and collaboration with businesses. You gain experience that you simply can’t get at university, so seize those opportunities when they come.”
Andrea sums up the feeling both researchers share about starting their careers at such an innovative company on campus: “I think you can really be proud to work at the forefront of protein research here at Portal Biotech. It’s such an important and fast-growing field, and being able to play a real role in it is something quite special.”
