Specialization
Human Genetics
Focus of research
Dr. Eva van Walree is a clinical geneticist in training and assistant professor at the Emma Center for Personalized Medicine. For over a decade, she has been committed to improving diagnostics and treatment options for patients with rare diseases. Her academic path combines a strong clinical foundation with international research experience. After finishing her medical degree at the University of Utrecht, she gained experience as a clinical doctor in pediatrics for over a year. Following her interest in genetics, she enrolled in a Master’s program (MPhil) Genomic Medicine at the University of Cambridge, where she investigated monogenic causes of congenital central hypothyroidism. This was followed by a PhD at the Complex Trait Genetics (CTG) lab (Vrije Universiteit), where she worked on diverse projects ranging from monogenic heart disease to the complex genetics of metabolic syndrome and parental relatedness as well as drug repurposing based on GWAS data. She then started her training in clinical genetics at Amsterdam UMC, with a focus on congenital and developmental genetics. After joining the Emma Center for Personalized Medicine as an assistant professor in 2024, her current focus now lies at the intersection of rare disease genetics and therapeutics. To fulfill this goal, she is supervising (PhD-)students as well as being actively engaged in translational research herself. She is a member of the Dutch Clinical Genetics Society’s (VKGN/VKGL) “Therapy Working Group” and co-developer of a clinical rotation on therapy development for rare genetic diseases. Dr. van Walree is recognized for her strong communication skills, independence, and collaborative mindset. She has experience in bioinformatics, statistical genetics, treatment of patients with rare genetic diseases (N-of-1 trials) and counseling of patients and families. Her career goal is to combine clinical work with research into therapies for genetic disorders.