212 | Appendix Acknowledgements Life often happens while we are busy planning it. This certainly applied to my PhD trajectory; spending almost 15 years from the beginning to the end was definitely not part of the initial plan. But luckily, as it turns out, there indeed are more ways leading to Rome. And after all, I have always been more of a long-distance runner anyway. However, none of this would be possible if I was running alone. This thesis was really a team effort and I am truly grateful to the many who directly or indirectly contributed to its realization. First of all, I am grateful for being granted the opportunity to conduct independent research at the University of Amsterdam / University Medical Center Amsterdam, namely at the Pathology department. To my promotors: Prof. Dr. Carel van Noesel and Dr. Jeroen Guikema, you shaped me academically, you challenged me. Carel, I am grateful for your guidance, I admire your profound insights and enjoyed our many scientific discussions very much. Jeroen, it is so much fun to work alongside someone whose unbridled enthusiasm for science is so genuine. The level of your attention to details has always been an example to me. In the last phase, I especially want to thank you for shaping and lifting my scientific writing. Carel and Jeroen, I am grateful to both of you for your dedication to our research projects, from the beginning to the end, and wish both of you lots of success in your further scientific and personal endeavors! To the members of my doctoral committee: I sincerely appreciate that you agreed to take on the task of serving on my doctoral committee and wish to thank you for taking the time to read and evaluate my doctorate thesis. To all co-authors (see Appendix): thank you very much for the fruitful collaboration! I am grateful for your feedback, your fine efforts and inputs; you were instrumental for the success of the various projects and publications. Also, many thanks to the colleagues from AMC FACS facility (Berend) and the AMC Core facility genomics (Ted, Linda K.) for the help with setting up protocols, troubleshooting, or operating the devices. Michal, Martin H., thank you for your help with the initial analysis of the sequencing data. To Nike: you are a great lab manager, relentlessly taking care of the lab supplies and making sure the labs run smoothly! Thank you very much for all your help with ordering primers, kits, and antibodies, as well as for the troubleshooting, administrative support (especially in the last few years), for the CDs that I once borrowed from you, and which took me like forever to return (CDs!! Haha, can you imagine!), and for all the nice talks. To my paranymphs: Martin and Martine, tegenwoordig praten we met elkaar gewoon in het Nederlands. Sommigen van ons blijven dan wel Broabants pratuh, maar dat gaat de anderen van ons petje te boven. I am thrilled that you accepted the role of paranymphs, it was so much fun planning the final phase with you! Martin, I am amazed by the ease with which you sail through your academic career. Where others are in despair due to the pile of failed experiments, frustrated by the endless writing, or discouraged by the too-critical
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