Emma holds a BSc in Biomedical Sciences from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and an MSc in Regenerative Medicine and Technology from Utrecht University. Throughout her studies, she gained experience in iPSC-based disease modelling, organ-on-chip technologies, and biofabrication. Her bachelor research at the Hubrecht Institute investigated molecular drivers of cardiomyopathies using iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues. During her MSc, she shifted toward organ-on-chip research, developing a hollow fiber membrane-based blood-brain barrier model to study the kidney-brain axis. She further broadened her biofabrication experience through an external research internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where she worked with 3D bioprinting techniques.

Currently at MERLN, Emma is part of the ERC-funded NEPHRON project. Her research focuses on generating iPSC-derived kidney organoids and developing bioengineered microenvironments that support their morphogenesis and maturation. By combining biomaterial screening, bioprinting, and advanced microscopy, she aims to identify suitable microenvironments for the development of more mature and physiologically relevant kidney models.