Copyright: Hubrecht Institute 13 March 2026 Stepping into leadership: Hubrecht postdocs start their own labs Back to news Launching an independent research group marks a major milestone in a scientific career. In early 2026, several Hubrecht postdoctoral researchers reached this moment, stepping into new roles as group leaders. We spoke with four researchers – Amanda Andersson Rolf, Antonella Dost, Robin van der Weide and Sora Yang – about their time at the Hubrecht Institute and their transition into independence. What helped them in their development as scientists? Becoming independent researchers Apart from focusing on their research and enjoying their time at the Hubrecht Institute, postdocs are actively encouraged to think about their next steps and future careers. Throughout their time at the Hubrecht Institute, they receive guidance and training to develop into independent researchers. “The Hubrecht and the KNAW gave me the freedom and support to grow scientifically and independently,” Sora says. “I’m thankful for the strong mentorship and training courses.” As a postdoc in the Tanenbaum group, her research focused on visualizing mRNA translation dynamics in live cells. Furthermore, she developed advanced imaging approaches. With these, Sora studied the step-by-step process of protein production. Postdocs can follow professional development courses and training courses during their time at the Hubrecht Institute. “The KNAW grant writing week and negotiating for women course, the Women in Science lunches organized by the IDEAS committee, and the EMBO leadership course by the Postdoc Committee were very helpful for me,” Antonella says. As a postdoc in the Clevers group, she specialized in how the lung repairs itself after damage. She studied how signals that stimulate inflammation influence the ability of tiny air sacs in the lungs, called alveoli, to regenerate. Antonella discovered that interferon gamma, a signaling molecule from the immune system, can influence alveoli growth. Robin was a postdoc in the Kind group, which studies DNA packaging inside the cell and its influence on gene regulation. He is thankful for the support of his principal investigator (PI) Jop Kind in transitioning towards independence, as well as all the feedback from the other PIs. “The support at the Hubrecht has been multi-faceted,” he reflects. “The institute’s vibrant atmosphere provided a great place to grow and enjoy science.” Robin investigated the unusual way in which DNA is packaged in the cells, so-called chromatin organization, of nocturnal animals using organoid models. On the technical side, Robin focused on the development of new techniques to study the genome. “It has been incredibly rewarding to see one of our methods evolve into a spin-off company, sCellgen.” Amanda studied the development of the human pancreas in the Clevers group and established a new organoid model that contains all three main types of pancreatic cells. Through this model, she discovered a marker that helps recognize human stem cells that can develop into these three different cell types. In the future, Amanda will use this model to gain further insights into human pancreas development. “I want to thank everyone who took the time and made the effort to provide feedback on my applications and chalk talks,” Amanda says. These talks give postdocs the opportunity to describe their proposed research program. Antonella agrees: “Observing the chalk talks for the recruitment of new Hubrecht group leaders was incredibly helpful for our own job applications and interviews.” A unique culture “I will miss the unique scientific environment of the Clevers lab,” Amanda reflects. All postdocs mentioned the unique culture of the Hubrecht Institute. “There really is a unique culture here where you can help others or seek advice, just by sending a quick email or walking into someone’s office,” Robin says. “I will especially miss my colleagues; we never seemed to run out of scientific (and non-scientific) topics to discuss in the lab or over lunch.” Sora adds: “The open, supportive, and collaborative atmosphere at the Hubrecht made it a very special place to work.” A new beginning: exciting and refreshing With the chapter in Utrecht closing, a new and exciting one opens for Sora at the Institut de Génétique Humaine (IGH) in Montpellier, France. “I am very much looking forward to building my own research team and working with people from different backgrounds,” Sora mentions. Her new research group investigates how RNA-protein interactions shape gene expression in living cells by combining advanced fluorescence microscopy with nanotechnologies. “Starting in a new environment, with new collaborations, feels both exciting and refreshing,” she says. “Starting from scratch is a massive undertaking,” Robin confirms. “But the opportunity to shape a new research environment is a thrill.” He looks forward to the near-total freedom to pursue his own scientific ideas, and to mentoring students and postdocs in the next steps in their careers. “This aspect is what I’m most looking forward to; I find a lot of fulfilment in seeing others grow and succeed.” In his new group at the UMC Utrecht, Robin will continue to develop and apply novel methods that allow multiple complex measurements at the same time within individual cells. With a focus on chromatin systems biology, Robin aims to find relationships between chromatin and the process of transcription, which is copying DNA into RNA, a molecule that carries the instructions for creating proteins. “Through this investigation, we aim to understand how cells function,” Robin summarizes. Antonella will start her new group at the University of Copenhagen, where she continues her work on lung tissue repair, as part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW). “I’m excited to connect to an incredible group of stem cell scientists,” she says. She will develop and apply organoid models of the alveoli to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern lung regeneration and disease progression. “I’m excited to do science with my new team,” Amanda says. Her new group at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden investigates how cell identity is regulated in development. The long-term goal is to promote regeneration and prevent disease. She will combine organoid models of the pancreas and advanced genetic and molecular techniques to study specific cell types in human tissue samples in the lab to understand their functions. Natural and rewarding steps toward independence A new aspect for Antonella is being responsible for every aspect of running a lab: not only setting the scientific direction, but also managing the budget, leading a team and organizing the lab sustainably. “A lot of it is uncharted territory, but I know this is something I will grow into,” she says. Amanda adds: “I never received training in negotiations, so this part of starting a new research group is a bit more difficult for me.” Sora offers her perspective on encountering challenges: “I see challenges that come with starting a new research group as a natural and rewarding step toward independence.” With their departure, the Hubrecht Institute says goodbye to four skilled researchers and appreciated colleagues. The experiences of Amanda, Antonella, Robin and Sora highlight that the Hubrecht Institute is not yet another place where science happens. It is also a place where researchers can grow, connect, get inspired and prepare for their independence in academia. The new research group pages of Amanda, Antonella, Robin and Sora are available via the links. Vacancies at Amanda’s lab can be found here.
