Judith Oprins

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Judith Oprins, and for nearly 20 years now, I have been working at Utrecht Science Park for Genmab, an international biotechnology company. I started at Genmab as a scientist, contributing, among other things, to the discovery of daratumumab (now available as an antibody therapy for a type of cancer called multiple myeloma).

After various roles within the organisation, I rose to the position of Vice President of Research Operations, and I am also the Site Manager of Genmab's Dutch research centres (Genmab R&D Center in Utrecht and our extra temporary accommodation Genmab Zeist).

What does Utrecht Science Park (USP) mean to you?

Although Utrecht Science Park is now my workplace, I have been a ‘resident’ of Utrecht Science Park for a very long time. I started my scientific education 30 years ago at Utrecht Science Park, which was then still called De Uithof. At the time, I started my biology degree programme at a much smaller De Uithof, in a ‘provisorium’, a building that had been constructed to serve temporarily for biology students, but which would ultimately remain standing for 25 years. I have seen Utrecht Science Park grow over the years. After working elsewhere in various places, I returned to USP when I started work at Genmab. Over the years, Utrecht Science Park has seen tremendous development, with all sorts of science congregating here, whether in terms of education, research, or work. It is even a place to live now.

The research and all these different types of science gathered are aspects of USP that I find very attractive. In our line of business, this ranges from fundamental research to patient research.

When we were considering our future at Genmab and how to accommodate our strong growth, while also making plans for our own brand-new R&D Center, this convinced us we should remain at Utrecht Science Park: close to science, research and other facilities.

What is the impact of Utrecht Science Park on society? And what is your role in it? 

Utrecht Science Park truly contributes to connecting education, research, entrepreneurship and healthcare. This is very important for Genmab, since we work together with various parties at Utrecht Science Park, with helping cancer patients as our ultimate goal. We do this together with Utrecht University, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, various research institutes, companies, and a number of hospitals. I truly believe that sharing essential knowledge with each other brings benefits. Everyone has their own expertise and it is wonderful to bring them together to be able to mean even more for cancer patients.

This cooperation applies not only to research, but also to safety, sustainability, and accessibility. A clear example is one from just after the terrible attack in the Utrecht tram about two years ago. The existing cooperation and communication at Utrecht Science Park allowed us to share actions and experiences with each other, with quick action being taken to ensure the safety of our employees and Utrecht Science Park residents. This is a strong point of ours as USP.

What is your personal dream with regard to your role?

Creating connections is an important motivating factor for me. This can be done at various levels. Genmab, for instance, is currently experiencing strong growth, which is why we are already building a second facility right next door to our Genmab R&D Center, together with other biotech companies and start-ups. As a result, some of our employees are temporarily based in Zeist until the new R&D building is ready. I am busy creating connections within Genmab at the two current locations. The trick is to all remain one team, and to safeguard our strong scientific, innovative, and social culture. This is what I am committed to within the company. My goal is to soon have two beautiful R&D locations at Utrecht Science Park, where we will develop new medicines for cancer patients and where employees will be proud of what they do for society.

It is also very important for Genmab to continue to connect with other Utrecht Science Park partners: students (who for example do internships with us or sometimes receive guest lectures from Genmab), collaborations with research institutes, companies, and the hospitals – all in order to allow all of us to move forward. For us, that means continuing to make progress with a special focus on helping patients with cancer. By working together, creating connections, and learning from each other, we can better help patients and do so more quickly. This is our ultimate goal.

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