Cindy Boer

About the author | 299 8 About the author Cindy Germaine Boer was born on the 29 th of May 1989 in Sliedrecht, the Netherlands. After completing her secondary school at CSG De Lage Waard in 2007, she tarted her Bachelor degree in Biology at the University of Utrecht. During her Bachelor degree, Cindy focused on molecular and cell biology, with a minor in virology. In 2013, she re- ceived her Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Utrecht in Cancer Genomics and Developmental Biology. During her Master degree, Cindy com- pleted internships at the University Medical Center Utrecht, department of Medical Oncology on bipolar spindle assembly in C. elegans, and at INSERM( Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale ), department of Human Virology in Lyon, France on immune modulation of the measles vaccine. In may of 2013, Cindy started as PhD candidate at the department of Internal Medicine in the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, under the supervision of Prf. Dr. André Uitterlinden and dr. Joyce B.J. van Meurs. In 2017 and 2019, she received the Osteoarthritis Research Soci- ety International (OARSI) Young Investigator- Highest rated abstract award, for her work on osteoarthritis and the gut-microbiome. In 2018 Cindy joined the Genetics of Osteo-arthritis (GO) consortium effort and and visted the research group of prof. dr. Elefthe-ria Zeggini in Cambridge (Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cam-bridge, UK) and in Neuherberg (Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Gemany). In 2017, Cindy received the diagnosis of Usher syndrome and bec a me involved in patient outreach groups for retinal disorders at the Dutch eye society(Oogvereniging). where she was also involved in lo bying the Dutch government for approval of retinal gene - therapy(LUXTURNA). Cindy also serves on the medical advisory council of the Usher Syndrome Foundation(Stichting Usher Syndroom). In her spare time Cindy likes to practice Historic European Martial Arts (HEMA), focussing on the longsword and joins in 15 th century Historical re- enactment.