Dr Joost Snijder received the Heineken Young Scientists Award in the Medical/Biomedical Sciences 2018 for using advanced microscopic techniques to study the molecular mechanisms of viruses.
The jury regarded Joost Snijder as an exceptionally talented, creative researcher who thinks and acts independently with great vision and daring. Although young, he has already published a great many articles in prestigious journals and initiated partner projects with the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, the Scripps Institute and other respected international organisations.
Joost Snijder is an independent researcher and research consultant who advises on biochemistry and molecular biology. He works with Utrecht University, the University of Washington in Seattle (USA) and other partners.
Snijder studied biomolecular sciences at Utrecht University. He received his PhD there in 2015 for his work using mass spectrometry to study the molecular mechanisms of viruses.
Research
During and after his PhD research, Joost Snijder became extremely knowledgeable about and skilled in the use of advanced microscopic techniques, including atomic force microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, mass spectrometry and molecular modelling. His expertise allows him to explore a range of different macromolecular mechanisms, for example virus assembly and the molecular ‘biological clock’ of cyanobacteria.