Anouk Killaars, PhD

Anouk Killaars, PhD, has a diverse background in scientific research and academia. Anouk'smost recent position was as a Senior Scientist at Conception, where they began in 2022 and currently holds the role. Prior to this, they worked as an Assay Scientist at the same company from March 2022 to June 2023.

Before joining Conception, Anouk was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, starting in August 2020 and ending in March 2022. In this role, they oversaw and coordinated the supply chain for the commercialization of an implantable hydrogel scaffold for muscle regeneration. Anouk also managed tight deadlines through communications with CROs/CMOs and regulatory affairs consultants, as well as optimized 3D hydrogel culture models for tissue engineering efforts in collaboration with the orthopedic department at UCSF.

Anouk's earlier research experience includes working as a Research Assistant and a Researcher PhD Student at the University of Colorado Boulder. From May to August 2020, they served as a Research Assistant, focusing on designing and implementing dynamic biomaterials to optimize osteogenic differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells, optimizing in vitro drug screening platforms for aortic valvular disease and fibrosis, and developing stable knockdown in human mesenchymal stem cells for improved cell therapy treatments. As a Researcher PhD Student from January 2016 to May 2020, Anouk worked on various projects such as optimizing culture conditions for heart fibroblasts, analyzing tissue mechanics of healthy and diseased heart valves, and researching the influence of matrix elasticity on stem cell fate.

During their academic years at Radboud University Nijmegen, Anouk held multiple roles including Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant. Anouk also worked as a Lead Organizer for the career fair at BètaBedrijvenBeurs Nijmegen, where they directed a cross-functional team and coordinated a 700-person event with workshops.

Anouk Killaars, PhD, obtained their Gymnasium degree from Valuascollege in 2009. Anouk then pursued their Bachelor's degree in Molecular Life Sciences at Radboud University from 2009 to 2013. Following this, they completed their Master's degree in the same field of study at Radboud University from 2013 to 2015. Lastly, they earned their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder from 2016 to 2020.