Prof. dr. Pernette J. Verschure focuses with her group on functional epigenome dynamics and its role in (i) responsiveness to epigenetic reprogramming, (ii) breast cancer endocrine therapy resistance development, (ii) UV-induced damage and repair regulation and (iii) epigenetic-based age determination as forensic application. Verschure's intensive involvement in leading EU consortia, e.g. initiator and coordinator of EU H2020 EpiPredict consortium (http://epipredict.eu), 'The Life Time' initiative, an EU Flagship FET programme (https://lifetime-fetflagship.eu/), workgroup leader of the International Nucleome (INC) (https://inc-cost.eu/) COST Action network, and her role as associate editor of newly founded Springer Nature journal 'Epigenetic Communications'. (https://epicom.biomedcentral.com/), gives her a good overview of and access to European partners. Verschure is also associate editor of the Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry and review editor of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology and she is (and has been) on various scientific advisory boards (SYNENERGENE https://www.synenergene.eu/, CASyM/SysMedIBD, https://www.casym.eu/eu-projects, MESI-STRAT https://mesi-strat.eu/, BREAST-PREDICT http://www.breastpredict.com/, EMBL/EMBC Contact committee advising EMBO/EMBL). She collaborates with the Netherlands Forensic Institute and is coordinator of the Co van Ledden Hulsebosch forensic research and expertise center.
Verschure studied medical biology at the University of Amsterdam and obtained her PhD in Nijmegen at the RadboudUMC. She worked as a visiting researcher with fellowships abroad, at Smith Kline Beecham Pharmaceuicals in Philadelphia and the Department of Cell and Structural Biology, at the University of Illinois. She participated in EU-funded research projects (BIO-MED, D-GENOME) and she received several prestigious grants (NWO-PULS, -Vidi, -Meervoud, KNAW) to start her own research group. In addition to research, Verschure teaches as a coordinator and lecturer in a range of Master and Bachelor as well as PhD and postdoc courses at FNWI, UvA and she acts as head of the exam committee of the Master in Forensic Sciences at FNWI. With her chair 'Functional dynamics of the epigenome', Verschure connects fundamental research at the Science Faculty, with clinical applications at the Medical Faculty, AUMC.
