Lodewijk Toonen

Associate Director

Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands

About

Associate Director R&D with a keen interest for translational research in a preclinical setting. Background in design of gene- and antisense therapies. Experienced in leading a research project and managing a small team of scientists and technicians.

Experience

  • Associate director - non-clinical development at VICO Therapeutics B.V.
    Feb 2025 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

  • uniQure (5 yrs 9 mos)
    • Associate Director Research (Target Discovery)
      Nov 2022 - Nov 2024 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      • Leading and coordinating activities of a small research team • Identifying and assessing new therapeutic targets • Project lead of CNS program; coordinating overall research activities • Collaborate with global program team to advance gene therapy program

    • Sr. Scientist Research (CNS disease biology)
      Nov 2020 - Nov 2022 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      • Management of small research team • Research lead on preclinical CNS project • Coordinate initial design and proof of concept for gene therapy constructs

    • Jr. Scientist Research (Emerging therapeutic targets)
      Mar 2019 - Nov 2020 · 1 yr 9 mos

      • Preclinical research lead for SCA3 program • AAV cargo design and screening of miRNAs and expression constructs • Coordination of in vivo studies at CROs

  • Leiden University Medical Center ()
    • Postdoctoral researcher (department of Human Genetics)
      Sep 2017 - Mar 2019 · 1 yr 7 mos

      Postdoc in the Willeke van Roon-mom lab - Performed translational research for SCA3 and Huntington disease - Designing and testing antisense oligonucleotide therapies in cells and animal models - Writing of scientific publications - Presenting at international conferences - Collaborate research with pharmaceutical companies

    • PhD student (department of Human Genetics)
      Sep 2012 - Sep 2017 · 5 yrs 1 mo

      PhD student in the Willeke van Roon-Mom lab Doctoral thesis "Developing and antisense oligonucleotide treatment for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3" https://www.offpage.nl/ebooks/ibuw3air4wokgqlymb6y/ - Designed antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) for ataxin-3 exon skipping - Tested and optimized AONs in cell culture (RNA and protein analyses) - Screened AON efficacy in SCA3 mice (molecular and behavioral readouts) - Performed wide range of lab based analyses (qPCR, Western blotting, molecular cloning, protein production, protein interaction, histology, RNA sequencing, etc) - Published scientific papers and presented results at various conferences