MEB-CCMO Science Day 2026 - Speakers

Head of Science Department, MEB & Associate Professor Drug Regulatory Science, Utrecht University

Dr. Marjon Pasmooij, is head of the Science Department at the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB), Associate Professor Drug Regulatory Science at Utrecht University, and co-chair of the Regulatory Science Network Netherlands (RSNN) and EMA-HMA European Platform for Regulatory Science Research. Marjon studied Cell Biology in Wageningen, and did her PhD at the Dermatology Department of the University Medical Center Groningen on a rare genetic skin disease. Marjon has been employed by the MEB in various roles since 2007. She worked as a clinical assessor for 10 years in the field of gynaecology and dermatology. Since 2018 she heads the Science Department, and coordinates the Regulatory Science activities where the MEB is involved in. She is also part of the EMA-HMA EU-Innovation Network, which facilitates the development of innovative medicines and associated technologies and aims to strengthen engagement with innovators, and a member of the Therapeutic Scientific Committee of the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC).

Professor Metabolic Diseases and Innovative Therapies, University Medical Center Utrecht

Sabine Fuchs is professor Metabolic Diseases and Innovative Therapies. She combines her clinical work as pediatrician in Metabolic Diseases with leading an enthusiastic and ambitious research group in the Regenerative Medical Center Utrecht in the Hubrecht Institute. 

To address the enormous unmet need in care for patients with metabolic diseases, she employs innovative strategies like patient-derived liver organoids and precise gene editing to develop treatments for these patients. Her investments in this field allowed her to set up a gene-correction program targeting the liver using lipid nanoparticle-mediated mRNA delivery. With evolving delivery technologies (including virus-like particles), she now also targets other organs. For this work, she was awarded prestigious grants (ERC StG, POC; ZonMW VICI, Clinical Fellows, and AGICO grants) and prizes (KNAW-Ammodo Science Award for Groundbreaking Research). 

To stimulate clinical translation, she is PI of phase I/II trials in this field, e.g. the Moderna MMA/PA mRNA trials and the Prime Medicine trial for Wilson’s Disease (currently in set up phase). She also developed a new amino acid based treatment for a newly recognized group of diseases (ARS-deficiencies), with which she has treated >20 patients. To inspire other translational scientists, she participates in the EUREKA certificate program, the Utrecht Translational Medicine Summer School and TULIPS (Training Upcoming Leaders In Pediatric Science). 

Professor and co-lead of the Dutch Center for RNA Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, department of Human Genetics

Prof. Willeke van Roon-Mom did her masters in Medical Biology at the University of Groningen. During her studies she got fascinated by how the brain functions, and what causes neurodegenerative diseases. This fascination led to her PhD studies at the University of Auckland, in New Zealand, where she studied changes in the human brain caused by Huntington disease. In her career, the translational aspect from genome, to transcriptome, protein, tissue and ultimately the patient has been very important. In Leiden she is now Professor at the Human Genetics Department of the LUMC and studies novel disease mechanisms and develop therapeutic strategies for several genetic brain disorders, using induced pluripotent stem cell models, animal models and post mortem brain tissue. More recently, she co-founded the Dutch Center of RNA Therapeutics where now 5 Dutch University Medical Centers are united to develop antisense oligonucleotide based treatments for patients with ultra rare diseases. 

Assistant professor Clinical Therapeutics, Utrecht University

Dr. Lourens T. Bloem (PharmD, MSc) is an assistant professor at the Centre for Clinical Therapeutics of the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology of Utrecht University (Utrecht, the Netherlands). He has been trained as a pharmacist (2016) and is currently in training as a clinical pharmacologist. He obtained his PhD in drug regulatory science in 2021. This research focused on evidence generation for regulatory decision-making on medicines, as well as their effects on downstream decision-making for reimbursement and clinical practice.

Lourens Bloem aims to optimise outcomes of medicines in patient care through interdisciplinary research, integrating drug regulatory science (the science of evaluating and improving drug regulatory decision-making), clinical pharmacology (the science of optimal clinical use of medicines), and (pharmaco)epidemiology (the science of ‘real-world’ effects of medicines). He focuses on innovative medicines for patients with cancers and rare diseases for which unmet medical needs are typically highest. 

Among others, Lourens Bloem is involved in the DARE-NL, Oncode Accelerator, and CURE4LIFE research consortia that aim to develop and facilitate sustainable patient access to new medicines to treat cancers (DARE-NL and Oncode Accelerator) and orphan diseases (CURE4LIFE). In addition, he is an active member of various professional organisations, including the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE), and editor of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Int. Executive Director Healthcare Quality and Access, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, United Kingdom

Julian oversees the portfolio that is designed to ensure the quality and access of products to the UK market - this includes scientific advice, licensing assessment, marketing authorisations for all innovative and established medicines.

A committed professional with over 15 years of Director/Board level experience with a broad demonstrated history at Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Novartis, Pfizer and GSK in pharmaceuticals. Flexibly skilled in regulatory, compliance, quality, health and safety, operations with passion for people development with results and improvement focus. Quickly adaptable with strong links to industry and regulatory bodies with country, scientific, commercial and business focuses. Working with industry and regulators to influence legislation to benefit both patients and business. He is a Fellow of the RSC, with an MBA from Henley Business School, adding to BSc (Hons), Chartered Chemist and Chartered Scientist.

Chair Science Committee CCMO, and professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Leiden University Medical Center

Prof. Frits Rosendaal studied medicine in Rotterdam and received his PhD from Leiden University. He is professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), and has led many studies into the aetiology of cardiovascular disease, particularly in venous thrombosis, ranging from genetics to side effects of drugs. He has for many years been a member and vice-chair of the CCMO, and currently leads the Science Committee of the CCMO. He is Editor in Chief of the Geneesmiddelenbulletin (‘Drug bulletin’), a journal that provides independent advice to physicians and pharmacists on drugs and medical devices, and co-chair of the Committee on Scientific Integrity of the LUMC and Leiden University. 

Clinical assessor, Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO)

Dr. Evelyn van der Aa is a clinical assessor at the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO), where she is actively involved in the review of clinical research proposals and coordinates the team of clinical assessors. She studied Life Science and Technology at Leiden University and Delft University of Technology, and obtained her PhD at the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, focusing on the immune response against hepatitis B virus infection. Following her PhD research, she worked as a scientist at Janssen Vaccines B.V.. In 2021, Evelyn joined the CCMO, where, in addition to her role as a clinical assessor, she contributes to several initiatives. These include projects focused on Patient Involvement and n-of-1 therapies, aiming to enhance alignment of clinical research with patients’ needs.

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology, Precision Medicine Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado

Dr. Scott Demarest is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology. He is board certified in Child Neurology and Epilepsy. His clinical practice and research focus on the evaluation and treatment of neurogenetic conditions. This includes clinical trials for novel therapeutics, natural history studies, and the development of improved outcome measures for neurogenetic conditions. He is the Chief Precision Medicine Officer at Children's Hospital Colorado, co-director of the neurology complex drug program and medical director of the Batten and Neurogenetic Multi-disciplinary Clinics. He is also the director for the International CDKL5 Clinical Research Network. He received a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Texas at Austin before going on to medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed his residency in Pediatrics and Child Neurology at Children's National Health System in Washington, DC. and his Epilepsy fellowship at Children's Hospital Colorado. 

Chair of Medical Ethics Review Committee, Amsterdam University Medical Center/NedMEC+

Prof. Dr. Joop van Gerven graduated cum laude in medicine at Utrecht University and obtained his medical degree in 1984. In 1990, he received his PhD from Leiden University with a dissertation on diabetes mellitus. He later completed a master’s degree in philosophy at the same university. He completed his specialization in neurology in Rotterdam (now Erasmus MC).

In 1994, he was appointed Director of CNS Research at the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR) and Associate Professor at the Leiden Amsterdam Center for Drug Research (LACDR) in Leiden. In the same year, he also joined the Leiden University Medical Center as a staff neurologist. In 1997, he was recognized as a clinical pharmacologist, and in 2004 he became Professor of Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology at Leiden University.

His research focused primarily on the early development of medicines for disorders of the central nervous system and on methods to demonstrate pharmacological effects in humans. He retired in August 2025.

In addition to his academic work, he has held several national and international governance and leadership positions. From 2013 to 2016, he served as Vice-Chair, and from 2016 to 2025 as Chair of the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO). In September 2025 he was appointed Chair of the Medical Ethics Review Committee (METC) of Amsterdam UMC, which will join with METC NedMec in June 2026.