On Thursday, the 20th of April 2023, Josse Depla will be defending his thesis “Neural organoids as
preclinical tools for viral infection and gene therapy: Insights from enterovirus D68 and adeno
associated virus studies”.

Josse’s PhD project is a collaboration between the OrganoVIR Labs and UniQure Biopharma. His project focuses on setting up brain organoid models to study how Enterovirus D68 infection causes neurological conditions and to study adeno-associated virus transduction of the CNS in order to improve the delivery of gene therapy for genetic brain disorders.

Prof. Dr. Dasja Pajkrt is his promotor along with Dr. Melvin Evers (UniQure) and Dr. Adithya Sridhar (OrganoVIR Labs) as his co-promotors.

Josse’s PhD defense will take place at 16:00 at the University of Amsterdam in the Agnietenkapel,
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 229-231, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.