What motivates you to strive for an animal-free world? This time, we ask our (former) colleague Saskia. She joined us as a biomedical sciences intern and enjoyed her work so much that she stayed with us for nearly seven years. But, as all good things come to an end, Saskia decided to take on a new challenge. Before she leaves, we want to know what motivated her all these years and how she plans to continue her passion for animal-free research in the future.
How I ended up at Proefdiervrij
“By coincidence,” says Saskia. “I was studying biomedical sciences and planned to do lab research on human health. But after an internship, I quickly realized that I didn’t enjoy the actual research work. Since I was already four years into my studies, I didn’t want to give up. So, I chose a minor focusing on the role of science in society.”
When it was time to graduate, Saskia found an interesting project: an internship researching animal-free innovations in HIV and AIDS research. It surprised her because, as a student, she knew little about the issue of lab animals. “This shows how important research is for promoting animal-free methods,” emphasizes Saskia. “Interestingly, Proefdiervrij wasn’t mentioned in the project description. It was only halfway through my introductory meeting with Tjard de Cock Buning, a professor working with Proefdiervrij, that I realized I’d be working at their office.”
Despite the long commute from Zaandam to The Hague, Saskia took on the challenge. “I quickly felt at home. There’s a strong sense of camaraderie within the team: we do everything together, and you can really feel it.”
Debby Weijers, director: “I have so many fond memories with Saskia. From her start as an intern to breaking the ice and her incredible work ethic, her openness is one of her greatest qualities.”
My first job
Halfway through her internship, Saskia learned that Marja was leaving and Debby would take over as director. Debby, then the advisor science & innovation, was Saskia’s supervisor at Proefdiervrij. Saskia: “I had a lot of contact with Debby and eventually realized she wanted me to stay at Proefdiervrij.”
Saskia was increasingly involved in tasks unrelated to her internship. “I remember telling my parents that I thought they might offer me a job—and they did! Debby came into my office one day and asked if I wanted to continue as a science & innovation employee.”
With a big smile, Saskia recalls her first months. “I grew tremendously at Proefdiervrij. I used to be insecure and struggled to speak up, especially to unfamiliar people. Now, after years of networking and giving lectures, I do it without much thought. I’ve become more confident and spontaneous.”
“The first lecture I gave, I was sweating profusely. Now, I do it almost without nerves.”
Proud of big and small achievements
“Over the last seven years, I’ve done many things I’m proud of. For example, the Proefdiervrij Event, which started as a one-time Toekomstborrel and is now an annual event with nearly a hundred lab animal-free pioneers. Or the first Hugo van Poelgeest Prize ceremony, which was a success despite being online due to the pandemic. And I’ll never forget Proefdiervrij the Podcast, which I co-hosted with Romy!”
Romy Penningnieuwland, advisor communications : “In my six years at Proefdiervrij, I’ve worked on many great projects with Saskia, but the podcast was a highlight. We both had zero podcast experience, but that didn’t stop us. It was often about just doing it, thinking creatively, and finding smart solutions. Saskia excelled at this, and the podcast was a great success thanks to her. I’m very proud of her and our collaboration and even happier that we’ve become good friends.”
The growth of Proefdiervrij is another source of pride for Saskia. “When I started as an intern, our field was quite small. Now, we do so much more ourselves. We finance scientific research and are more involved in animal-free innovation at the European level. Looking back seven years, our influence was limited. Proefdiervrij can and does so much more now.”
A new challenge
Animal-free innovation is part of who Saskia is, but she decided to seek a new challenge this year. “I found it at hDMT (institute for human organ and disease model technologies), an organization focusing less on lab animals and more on scientific, animal-free models. I consciously chose to stay within the animal-free field—I’m working on the same problem but trying to solve it differently.”
Saskia is also the chair of Young TPI, an initiative informing young scientists, students, and professionals about animal-free possibilities. “When I saw the vacancy, I initially decided not to apply because I was already changing jobs and would be busy. But then I was personally approached and reconsidered. Ultimately, I decided to do it, partly because I was involved in creating and setting up Young TPI.”
Doortje Klinkenbergh, employee communications: “When I started at Proefdiervrij almost five years ago, I quickly realized Saskia was my kind of person. Soon after, we had drinks, office karaoke, and a great collaboration. Saskia taking on a new challenge is a huge loss—but we are incredibly proud of her.”
There’s no such thing as goodbye
One thing is certain: we’ll still see a lot of Saskia. “I don’t think I can fully distance myself from Proefdiervrij. Thankfully, I don’t have to: I’ll try to attend events, and a close bond between Proefdiervrij and hDMT benefits both humans and animals. I’ve also built close friendships with my colleagues, so they’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’m moving to another organization and doing different work, but I don’t need to say goodbye, don’t want to, and won’t.”
Exactly, Saskia! We look forward to seeing you at the next drink 😉 Thank you for your passion and dedication over the years—we’ll miss you!