The Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases (AII) receives support in its valorization efforts from the IXA AII business development team, which consisted of Pieter Slijkerman and Wim Meijberg for the last years. Last summer, Dilek Yusuf joined the business development team as a dedicated AII Business Developer. This means that Dilek is fully dedicated to AII, compared to Pieter and Wim, who serve as Business Developers for different research institutes. In this article we would like to (re)introduce you to our AII business developers Wim Meijberg and Dilek Yusuf.

Dilek Yusuf

1. Your position is newly established at The Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases. Could you provide an explanation of your role's responsibilities?

“I am working at Amsterdam UMC for 5.5 years, with 5 years of experience in Business Development at Amsterdam Neuroscience. Since six months, I have become a proud member of The Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases(AII) Within my role, I specialize in supporting valorization, bridging the gap between hospital research and practical implementation.

A significant part of my responsibilities centers on fostering public-private collaborations, a proactive facet of my work. I begin by internally engaging with Principal Investigators (PI) to understand their work, objectives, and potential contributions. This internal exploration is mirrored in my external interactions with the market. When I identify areas of convergence, I play the role of a matchmaker, connecting the industry with research. It is essential to emphasize that the PI's preferences steer this process.

Crucially, my role aims to allow scientists to concentrate on their research, while my colleagues and I handle the various aspects surrounding their research projects. This collaborative effort involves our Business Development Team and Research Support (legal advisors and finance experts). “

2. What is your main goal within your position for the next year?

"Expanding public-private collaborations is a clear and concrete objective I want to work on during the next year. Naturally, there are various paths to achieve this goal. One approach is to increase our visibility, for which we plan to participate in more conferences alongside our Principal Investigators (PIs). A notable example of this is our attendance at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress 2023 (EADV) in Berlin, where we were present last October.

My secondary goal is to enhance the efficiency of our processes. For example, when organizing a clinical trial sponsored by the industry, the steps involved tend to be quite consistent. It would be highly beneficial if we could establish a standardized approach for this."

3. How have you experienced the first few months at The Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases?

"My first few months at AII have been very good, it is a great group of people! Everyone is incredibly welcoming – when I send an email, I receive a prompt response, and meetings are scheduled quickly. There are even researchers who already say, 'I want Dilek (or somebody else from IXA AII) to be present at this meeting,' and that is, of course, what I aim to achieve."

“Researchers should feel free to send me an email anytime. But they should definitely reach out in one of the following situations:

  • Approaches from private partners
  • Exploring collaborations with private partners
  • Sharing data or samples with universities or private partners
  • Intellectual property inquiries
  • New inventions
  • Pursuing entrepreneurial goals

And if you are uncertain about where to find answers to other research support questions, feel free to reach out, and I can help steer you in the right direction.”

For a complete list of the support that IXA provides take take a look at the IXA website (For researchers - Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (ixa.nl))

Get to know Dilek Yusuf:

Dilek is of Romanian descent and arrived in the Netherlands at the age of 26. She pursued a two-year master's degree in Groningen, followed by a Ph.D. program at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI). After completing her doctorate, she spent four years at Catalyze, a consultancy firm specializing in grant proposal writing. Her extensive experience led her to Amsterdam UMC, where she is a proud employee for 5.5 years.

Dilek's life is a balance of professional and personal commitments. She not only contributes significantly to her workplace but also serves as the chairperson of the ROMPRO foundation, which is helps Romanians in the Netherlands . This foundation has a twofold mission: to facilitate the integration of Romanian in the Netherlands and to preserve the Romanian cultural identity. Among its various projects, the foundation runs a "Romanian weekend school," offering both online Dutch and Romanian language lessons. It also coordinates efforts to support Romanian labor migrants, offering assistance in case of exploitation, health issues, and unfortunate events. Beyond these initiatives, the foundation has established a Romanian Library within the OBA (Amsterdam Public Library).

Wim Meijberg

1. You are working as a business developer for Amsterdam UMC for six years. Could you provide an explanation of your role's responsibilities?

“My portfolio within Amsterdam UMC covers a substantial portion of AII's research, but I am also involved in diverse areas outside of the AII realm.

In essence, my daily work revolves around two primary responsibilities:

  • Supporting interactions and agreements with industry and private entities, spanning the entire spectrum from contract review to collaborative exploration of industry opportunities.
  • Collaborating with researchers to evaluate inventions, safeguarding them through patent applications when necessary. Subsequently, we explore various avenues for valorization of these innovations, including licensing to third parties or establishing spin-offs. There are numerous pathways to shape this process.”

2. What is your main goal within your position for the next year?

"My main goal is to bring recognition to several of the numerous new inventions of AII outside the hospital's confines. This, I consider, my primary mission, and the more, the merrier. Hence, my aim is to extend the reach of what occurs within these walls to the external world as extensively as possible.

Furthermore, I am committed to maintaining and enhancing support for researchers in their engagements with private parties."

3. What would be a reason for researchers to contact you, and what would be the best way for them to do so?

“If researchers believe they have made a noteworthy discovery, they are welcome to reach out. I or one of my colleagues will then meet with them to thoroughly explore the invention. During this meeting we will delve into questions like: What have you created? Is there market potential? What does that potential look like? If, following this initial discussion, we see the potential that the discovery can benefit patients or society, we will support the researcher throughout the entire journey. This encompasses everything from patent application to licensing, and in some cases, further refining the invention for broader appeal. I remain dedicated to assisting our researchers and fostering connections with the third parties.

The other reason would be that researchers are setting-up a collaboration with a private party. We can advise on matters of budget, intellectual property, publication rights, and how these issues are often related.

If this resonates with your situation, please do not hesitate to drop me an email or chat with me by the coffee machine. I would be delighted to engage in a conversation with you!"

Get to know Wim Meijberg:

Beyond his professional endeavors, Wim is a sports enthusiast. While he used to be passionate about triathlons, injuries have regrettably curtailed his participation. These days, he channels his energy into cycling. During the week and on Saturdays, you will often find Wim on the soccer field, where he takes on the role of coach for his son's soccer team.

For more information contact Wim Meijberg (j.w.meijberg@amsterdamumc.nl).