PhD student in the department of Clinical Genetics at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, working on fragile X syndrome (FXS). In fragile X syndrome, the FMR1 gene is silenced and the consequent loss of its protein product FMRP leads to the symptoms of the disorder, including intellectual disability and autism. Goals: - Gaining insights in the molecular pathways and timing of the epigenetic changes that cause transcriptional silencing of FMR1 by using induced pluripotent stem cells. - Elucidating the role of the protein FMRP in synaptic transmission and plasticity by investigating neuronal morphology, protein expression and animal behavior using different transgenic mouse lines. Techniques: - Cell culture (including primary neurons and iPS cells), immunohistochemistry, protein, DNA and RNA isolation and downstream applications, ChIP, Westernblot, confocal imaging, mouse handling and animal behavior.