Sinds vorige week versterkt Hanna Los het team van hollandbio als stagiaire. Ze zal vijf maanden stagelopen als onderdeel van de laatste fase van haar master Science and Business Management aan de Universiteit Utrecht. Hanna heeft eerder de bachelor Biologie afgerond, waarbij haar interesse in de biotech ontstond door de enorme kansen die deze sector biedt. In de master heeft ze de mogelijkheid om zowel de academische als de zakelijke kant van het vak te verkennen, waardoor ze haar passie voor biologie kan combineren met maatschappelijke impact. Bij hollandbio krijgt ze de kans om deze ambitie verder vorm te geven en daadwerkelijk bij te dragen aan de sector.

Stageonderzoek neemt vestigingsklimaat onder de loep 

Nederland heeft veel potentieel voor het opzetten van succesvolle biotech-startups, maar helaas zijn er ook toenemende signalen van bedrijven die zich na verloop van tijd vestigen in het buitenland. Hanna gaat zich richten op de vraag waarom bedrijven deze keuze maken en hoe ons vestigingsklimaat zich verhoudt tot andere landen. Door hier meer inzicht in te krijgen, kan hollandbio zich hard maken voor een beter vestigingsklimaat en het versterken van de voedingsbodem voor Nederlandse bedrijven. 

Hanna: “Ik kijk ernaar uit om meer te leren over de biotech sector, zowel in Nederland als internationaal. Daarnaast ben ik enorm enthousiast om de impactvolle organisatie hollandbio beter te leren kennen en veel kennis op te doen van mijn nieuwe collega’s.” 

Kennismaken of meedenken? Hanna is te bereiken via hanna.los@hollandbio.nl of via LinkedIn.

Hollandbio welcomes  Yxion as our newest member! Yxion is a consultancy firm for the Pharma, Biotech, Food, and Medical Devices industries. The team consists of driven professionals committed to improving people’s health and well-being. 

As part of their introduction, Yxion would like to share a short story with you: 

“It must be the humidity…”

At this very moment, a production planner in a biotech facility is pulling his hair out. A critical batch of cell cultures has developed the same mysterious deviation for the third time. Which is disrupting timelines and threatening to cause costly delays. Maintenance has checked everything from temperature, pH levels, growth media and equipment calibration. Everything appears to be within specs.

So what would you do?

“Impossible,” the operator insists. “It has to be the culture medium,” he says. “No,” the engineer counters, “it must be the bioreactor sensors.” Meanwhile, the quality manager points to contamination risks.

Three specialists with three completely different answers

But what if they’re all looking at it the wrong way?

Sometimes the answer isn’t in what you see—it’s in what you haven’t seen yet. Small deviations can signal much bigger issues hidden beneath the surface.

That’s where Yxion comes in

End-to-end consultancy across your entire project lifecycle

• Feasibility study to commissioning: addressing risks early on.
• Documentation, validation, and interpretation: compliant, efficient, and comprehensive.
• Maintenance and optimization: ongoing support for GMP processes.

One consultant brings the ingenuity of 80

Whether you’re setting up new production lines or optimizing ongoing operations, success depends on precise process execution and thorough validation of equipment.

Working with a consultant gives you access to the collective expertise of 80 specialists. Each a subject matter expert in their field.

Accessing specialized knowledge that meets regulatory scrutiny and withstands market demands ensures you’re not stuck in endless troubleshooting but progressing toward a compliant and reliable outcome.

Want to know how this story ends – or just want to have a chat?

Yxion                    info@yxion.nl                  +31 (0)20 751 2015

Last Thursday, we hosted the Maastricht edition of our Hollandbio komt naar je toer event series, organized throughout 2024 and early 2025 to celebrate our 10-year anniversary at biotech hubs around the country. Approximately 60 biotech professionals gathered at Bar Bistro Saam for drinks and bites, in collaboration with the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus. In between many great conversations and valuable networking opportunities, Wieteke Wouters (hollandbio), Yvo Graus (Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus) and Mark Post (Mosa Meat & Qorium) shared their insights on how their organizations contribute to strengthening the biotech ecosystem on both regional and (inter)national levels. 

We want to thank everyone who attended for contributing to another successful gathering of the Dutch biotech network!  

Hollandbio connects, represents and supports the Dutch biotech sector. We are very proud to represent more than 280 companies: from start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises to large companies, active in health, nutrition or biobased economy. Today, we welcome Biomod AI, an AI-driven platform transforming molecular biology workflows. Founded in September 2023 by Fabio Bigini, a computational biology expert who led teams at Stanford University, and Billy van der Helm, a business strategist with expertise in business analytics and AI innovation, Biomod AI is headquartered at the Leiden Bio Science Park. Following participation in the Techstars Deep Tech program in Berlin, the company has rapidly expanded its capabilities and is engaging with researchers and biotech companies worldwide. 

Biomod AI’s AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) platform redefines in silico processes by automating complex molecular biology tasks through a natural language interface similar to ChatGPT. The platform enables researchers to describe their needs in plain language, making advanced computational tools more accessible and intuitive. The platform leverages multi-agent AI systems, where distinct AI agents communicate and coordinate to complete complex tasks such as DNA/RNA analysis and sequence design. 

Key Features 

1. Advanced Sequence Retrieval
   Easily fetch genetic sequences by Gene Name, Ensembl ID, RefSeq ID, or Genomic Coordinates. Access Addgene plasmids, export in FASTA or GenBank formats, and use tools to analyze, edit, or run BLAST on custom sequences. 
2. Comprehensive Oligo Design
   Design primers, probes, siRNAs, and CRISPR guides (Cas9/12/13, including base and prime editing) with support for all genomes, genes, and custom sequences. Advanced visualizations enhance usability and precision. 
3. Workflow Automation (Beta)
   Automate repetitive tasks, explore novel strategies, and create AI assistants for projects. Tackle complex challenges like mRNA vaccine design, diagnostics, and CRISPR therapies with ease. 
4. Coding Agent
   Developed from user feedback, this feature enables script generation and modification directly within the platform, streamlining coding tasks for researchers. 

Biomod AI leverages its Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) framework to ensure input accuracy and prevent AI hallucinations. All computational actions are cross-referenced with genomic databases, ensuring precision and reliability. Designed to complement existing solutions like Snapgene, Benchling, and Geneious, Biomod AI integrates seamlessly into current workflows while offering the potential to consolidate tools into a single platform. 

Welcome, Biomod AI!