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The importance of making choices with your interests at heart is something that some people never learn. Daphne Stapels, a Postdoctoral researcher at Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� knows all about this. She also knows that where you are and how you get there is as much a personal choice as it is influenced by the network you create.  

Daphne began her career not far from home. She started at Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��, not knowing at the time that she would find her way back in the future. This choice was based on the compelling Biomedical Science open day. “Biomedical Sciences was the first study where I thought, oh, everything about this is interesting.” She found her niche interest on exchange to Norway, where she got a taste for pathogen-host interaction.   

Biomedical Sciences was the first study where I thought, oh, everything about this is interesting.

Learning about immunology in Norway was a factor in choosing her Masters in Infection and Immunology. She wanted to deepen her knowledge on pathogen-host and immune cell interactions. Despite a wonderful time abroad, she came back to Utrecht because of its stellar reputation in immunology research and to be with her boyfriend. The Master offered her the chance to work in laboratories which lead research in novel and significant topics. An internship in the Medical Microbiology department led her to a PhD with Suzan Rooijakkers. She spent four years studying molecular mechanisms of staphylococcus aureus bacteria and how it evades neutrophils.  

I realized I spent most of my career in the Netherlands and was actively looking for opportunities to go abroad.

Daphne started her Postdoc career at Imperial College in London. “I realized I spent most of my career in the Netherlands and was actively looking for opportunities to go abroad.” By chance, she returned to Utrecht to continue her career. “I applied for positions outside academia, but realized I wanted to do research at a university.” The choice to do this in Utrecht was again related to networking. “When I came back from my Postdoc in London, nothing about it was published yet. At the Medical Microbiology department of the UMCU I came across someone who knew me from previous work in Utrecht and offered me a position because of that.” Now Daphne is back as a Postdoc at her alma mater in the group of Karin Strijbis, who she met on her return to Utrecht.  

An advantage of staying in the same place is the network you’ve built.

When asked about her future, Daphne made it clear she is not going abroad. “I got married to my long-time boyfriend and we have a child together.” Daphne also sees advantages in spending much of her career in Utrecht. “An advantage of staying in the same place is the network you’ve built”.