Marc van Zandvoort

Professor

Prof. Marc A.M.J. van Zandvoort achieved his PhD degree in Biophysics at Utrecht University (1994) and worked as a postdoc at Universitá di Bologna and LENS institute, Florence (Italy). He returned to Utrecht University as a postdoc in 1996. In 1998, he moved to Maastricht University first as postdoc, from 2000 as assistant professor Biophysics. In 2007, he became associate professor at the department of Biomedical Engineering. In 2012, he moved to the department of Molecular Cell Biology. Currently, he is interim head of that department. In 2017 he obtained the chair 'Advanced Optical Microscopy' in Maastricht.

In 2009, he became professor Biophysics of Microscopy (part-time) at the Universitätsklinikum Aachen (Germany) and scientific leader of the Two-photon core-facility in Aachen.

He is board member of the conference series Focus on Microscopy, board member of the Dutch Society of Microscopy, and board member of the NL-BioImaging-AM initiative. He also is leader of the EuroBioImaging Node Maastricht.

His research currently zooms on the application of advanced optical microscopy (multi-photon, high-resolution 3D-STED microscopy, spectral microscopy) to biomedical cardiovascular and oncological questions. As an example, his group recently developed a method to measure mouse carotid plaque microvessel functionality using in vivo multi-photon microscopy. He has also done a variety of studies on bimodal (e.g., optical-MRI, optical-US) imaging. In combination with the techniques used, a variety of systems can be studied, ranging from artificial systems, via cells in culture (e.g., lamin substructure, mitochondrial network and substructure), to whole tissues, organs, and animals.

He has tutored both scientists with background in physics and biomedical research. He is an experienced teacher for a wide range of students (medicine, biomedical engineering, science students) and in a variety of roles (mentor, tutor, internship). His research group currently encompasses technicians, PhD students and postdocs in Maastricht and Aachen. Finally, he has been organising the TripleM PhD/Postdoc course and conference series in Maastricht.