With an academic background that includes a bachelor’s degree in food technology and master’s degrees in food biotechnology and medical biotechnology from Wageningen University and Research, Niels started his PhD in October 2024. His research focuses on developing a stem cell-based regenerative therapy to address the global shortage of donor corneal endothelial cells (CECs) for transplantation. Specifically, the project aims to differentiate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into corneal endothelial cells using a novel, small molecule-based protocol. By using small molecules to precisely modulate differentiation pathways, the goal is to achieve efficient and scalable production of CECs that adhere to good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards. This approach paves the way for preclinical studies and, ultimately, clinical applications, offering a promising solution to provide a potentially unlimited supply of iPSC-derived CECs and work towards a regenerative therapy for corneal diseases.