The UCR Board and the Science department are proud to announce that as of May 1, 2020, prof. dr. Edward Nieuwenhuis will join UCR as full professor in Biomedical and Life Sciences, with special attention to Pre-Med in the Liberal Arts and Sciences. Pre-Med is an important field at UCR, much beloved by a considerable group of ambitious students. We’ve been on quite a search for someone with the seniority, distinction, network, and ideas to successfully lead the special program that prof. Rijkers and before him prof. Cornelissen have turned into a success. We are very happy that we found that professor. We wish prof. Nieuwenhuis lots of success and enjoyment at UCR!
Below you find a short piece by prof. Nieuwenhuis in which he introduces himself to the UCR community. Prof. Nieuwenhuis will start teaching in the Fall 2020 semester. Until that time, he will work with prof. Rijkers and his team, and students on running internships and senior projects in preparation.
In the words of prof. Edward Nieuwenhuis:
“My name is Edward Nieuwenhuis. Since 2009 I have been a Professor and Chairman of Pediatrics at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht. This position combines various aspects in Child Health and Medical Education. My scientific career started with a PhD in mucosal immunology (Prof. Dr. C.J. Heijnen, University of Utrecht and Prof. Dr. R.S. Blumberg, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA) and now focuses on Inflammatory Bowel Disease, epithelial biology, stem cells and genetics.
Next to my basic research laboratory, I have helped to build an applied and broad research and teaching program that ranges from vaccine development, ethics on clinical trials in children, child abuse to post-traumatic stress syndrome in children.
Currently, my research group participates in many national and international consortia and initiatives, and discoveries from our research rapidly find their way to various hospitals, institutions and organizations. Key alliances include the Princess Maxima National Center for Pediatric Oncology, The Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology & Stem Cell Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellin, Colombia.
As a professor in Pediatrics I have always been interested in understanding mechanisms of a certain disease and the implications for the individual patient. As a scientist and teacher, I tend to follow curiosity more than the wish to make impact.
In a world where students have to score and fulfill predetermined goals, often gather knowledge through predefined channels and where focus seems to be a magic word, it is very important that University Colleges were established and Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in particular.
I am therefore extremely happy to join UCR and look forward to work with the smartest, most open-minded, curious students possible that pursue a career in the exciting world of biomedical sciences.”
