I joined the Princess Máxima Center as a basic researcher and pediatrician in training in June 2018. My primary research interest lies in understanding the molecular biology of pediatric soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and to use that knowledge to develop new treatment options for patients suffering from these tumors. To this end, I study establishment procedures for novel preclinical models of pediatrist STS (i.e., tumor organoid models) as well as bulk and single-cell genomics of these tumors. I am furthermore member of the molecular tumor board of the Dutch iTHER as well as the German INFORM pediatric precision medicine trial.
My hobbies include sports (running, bootcamp) and gaming (board games, tabletop role-playing games, video games). I am the proud father of a boy and a girl.
Justin de Ronde
Master student
Hi! My name is Justin and I am a master’s student in the “Cancer, Stem Cells, and Developmental Biology” program at Utrecht. As part of this master’s program, I started my internship with the Drost group in October 2024. Together with Giulia Perticari, I focus on studying pediatric Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor progression and metastasis. More specifically, the projects involve quantifying the epigenetic instability in this tumor and investigating the spatial organization of the genome in the nucleus.
Outside of the lab, I like to meet up with friends, play squash, read a good book, play (board) games, or puzzle. I also enjoy watching a good movie or listening to a vinyl from my rapidly growing collection. In addition, I love traveling and diving into old cultures and their mythology.