S.H. van Rijt

Research Focus
Sabine van Rijt’s research lies at the intersection of nanotechnology, materials science, and regenerative medicine, with a focus on the modular design of inorganic nanomaterials to guide tissue repair and regeneration. Her work is embedded in the Instructive Biomaterials Engineering (IBE) department at the MERLN Institute, where she leads efforts to develop adaptive, multifunctional biomaterials that not only support but actively instruct biological processes.

Her team designs and synthesizes nanoparticles and nanocomposites with finely tuned properties—such as surface chemistry, degradability, and responsiveness—to modulate stem cell behavior, deliver therapeutic signals, and promote controlled tissue formation. A central concept in her research is the transition from passive to instructive and adaptive biomaterials, where nanomaterials are used to influence cell fate decisions and build functional, biomimetic microenvironments from the bottom up.

She is particularly interested in using nanoparticles as both delivery vehicles and structural components, integrating them into responsive scaffolds that combine mechanical stability with biological adaptability. Her work addresses key challenges in bone tissue repair and cancer-related tissue regeneration, with applications in both soft and hard tissue systems. Ultimately, her goal is to develop next-generation biomaterials that reduce dependence on donor tissues and enable personalized, minimally invasive regenerative therapies.

Biography

Prof. Sabine van Rijt studied Chemistry at Leiden University, specializing in inorganic and organic chemistry, and earned her PhD at the University of Warwick under the supervision of Prof. Peter Sadler, focusing on organometallic compounds for cancer therapy. She received an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship to carry out postdoctoral research on multifunctional nanoparticles for lung cancer treatment at the Helmholtz Institute in Munich. In 2016, she founded her research group at the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine at Maastricht University.

She currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Instructive Biomaterials Engineering (IBE) department at MERLN, where she leads an interdisciplinary team developing advanced nanomaterials for tissue regeneration. She is a recipient of prestigious national and European funding, including a ZonMW TOP grant, participation in EU H2020 consortia (PREMSTEM, JOINTPROMISE), and an ERC Consolidator Grant (NANO4BONE). In addition to her research leadership, she is active in graduate education, has served as Chair of the Faculty PhD Committee, and is a council member of TERMIS-EU.