Student - Bas Michels

Name: Bas Michels
Student: Master Life Science and Technology

"The compulsory courses in the first quarter gave me a good grounding in each specialisation, which led me to choose the Cell Factory specialisation. This was the perfect fit for my background in molecular biology, while also broadening my knowledge with courses like Analysis of Metabolic Networks.”

Hi, I'm Bas, I'm 23 and I'm just finishing my Life Science and Technology Master's. I'm doing my company internship at the moment and I'm expecting to graduate at the start of 2025. My academic journey started with a Bachelor's in Biology at Wageningen University & Research, where I focused on cellular biology, with a particular interest in microbes. I was looking for a fresh start in a different city and knew I wanted to do a different programme for my Master's when I came across the Master in Life Science and Technology. I was really interested because it was still linked to my background in molecular biology and there were lots of options for specialisation. What also attracted me to this Master's programme was the combination of biology and technology. I got in touch to ask if I could do this programme after my Bachelor's. After taking a few LST Bachelor's courses as electives, I didn't have to do a pre-master's and was able to move straight into the MSc LST after finishing my Bachelor's.

I've really enjoyed the programme and the people involved in it. The compulsory courses in the first quarter gave me a good grounding in each specialisation, which led me to choose the Cell Factory specialisation. This was the perfect fit for my background in molecular biology, while also broadening my knowledge with courses like Analysis of Metabolic Networks. I really enjoyed the Metabolic Reprogramming course, where I learned a lot about metabolic engineering of the microbial cell factory, while also developing my critical thinking skills. 

For my Master's End Project, I joined the Industrial Microbiology group, working on genetic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enhance the biosynthesis of an NAD+ precursor. While I initially lacked some lab skills compared to my peers due to my different background, I quickly caught up through determination and effort – so it's definitely achievable!