Ardena Oss

Maria Marioli is a Principal Scientist and Group Lead in Nanomedicine at Ardena. With over 15 years of experience in analytical chemistry and pharmaceutical development, Maria specializes in the characterization of complex drug products, including nanoparticles and microparticles.  Her expertise spans advanced liquid-phase separation techniques, building on her foundational research in field-flow fractionation, and the development of robust analytical methodologies essential for drug product development. Throughout her career, Maria has held key scientific roles at Roche and Teva Pharmaceuticals before joining Ardena, where she now leads research efforts in nanomedicine.  Maria holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Amsterdam and continues to drive innovation in the field, with recent work focusing on advancements in AF4-DLS detection for pharmaceutical applications.

Giovanna Brancatelli is Principal Scientist and Scientific Director at Ardena Solid State Research in Oss. She supervises R&D projects focused on polymorph, salt, and co-crystal screening, as well as preformulation studies supporting pharmaceutical development programs. Giovanna joined Ardena in 2015 from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Trieste, where she conducted postdoctoral research on the molecular recognition of biogenic amines in the solid state. Her expertise includes polymorphism, crystallization, organic and inorganic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and X-ray crystallography. Giovanna earned her MSc degree and PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Messina.

Bas Gruijters is Director Process R&D and Manufacturing in Enabling Chemistry at Ardena. He brings more than 20 years of experience in small and complex molecule synthesis, along with over 15 years of managerial experience within the pharmaceutical industry. Throughout his career, Bas has worked with multidisciplinary teams to develop safe and scalable manufacturing processes supporting the advancement of numerous compounds into clinical development. His expertise spans process R&D, manufacturing, and enabling chemistry within pharmaceutical development environments. Bas obtained his PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Radboud University Nijmegen.

Mark van Eldijk is Business Unit Director of Nanomedicines at Ardena. He combines scientific expertise in nanomedicine development and nanoparticle technologies with experience in strategic leadership, business development, and pharmaceutical CMC. Mark joined Ardena in 2016 as a Scientist and Project Leader before transitioning into business development and later into his current leadership role. At Ardena, he leads multidisciplinary teams focused on the development and manufacture of innovative nanomedicine products, including lipid-based, polymeric, and metal-based nanoparticles carrying a broad range of therapeutic payloads such as cytotoxics, oligonucleotides, mRNA, peptides, and proteins. His expertise includes nanomedicine development, polymer chemistry, nanoparticle characterization, customer relationship management, and pharmaceutical development strategy. Mark obtained his PhD in Bio-organic Chemistry from Radboud University Nijmegen, where his research focused on the design and preparation of biopolymer-based nanoparticles. He subsequently worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the California Institute of Technology and has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

María Jesús Martín is Senior Scientist and Group Leader in the Solid-State Department at Ardena Oss. She combines scientific expertise in solid-state science with project management experience across pharmaceutical development environments. Before joining Ardena in 2022, María Jesús began her career in solid-state science at Pharmorphix in Cambridge and later moved into project management roles within the pharmaceutical industry. At Ardena, she combines her scientific and project management background to support Solid-State Department activities and customer projects. María Jesús studied Chemistry in Zaragoza, Spain, and completed her MChem studies in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Bram Ach is CMC Writer at Ardena Ghent. He supports pharmaceutical companies in addressing increasingly complex regulatory requirements through the development of high-quality CMC documentation and scientific regulatory assessments. Bram recently joined Ardena and already brings experience in the preparation of API-related documentation, including mutagenicity reports, synthesis criticality analyses, and nitrosamine risk assessments. His expertise spans both small molecules and biologics, with a focus on supporting regulatory compliance and risk-based decision-making. At Ardena, he works closely with cross-functional teams to translate complex scientific and regulatory topics into clear, practical, and compliant documentation that supports efficient development pathways and successful regulatory outcomes. Bram obtained his Master’s degree in Chemistry from Ghent University. He combines strong technical expertise with a pragmatic, risk-based approach to support regulatory readiness throughout the development lifecycle.

Martin Broxterman is Principal Scientist and Group Lead at Ardena Oss. He brings extensive experience across pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing, with a strong focus on process development, manufacturing operations, and GMP facility management. Martin joined Ardena and its predecessor organizations in 2014 as an R&D Scientist, where he developed expertise in process development and scientific problem-solving. Over the years, he has gained broad experience across both development and manufacturing environments. In his current roles as Group Lead Manufacturing and Group Lead Facility Management, he is responsible for supporting the performance, compliance, and operational readiness of Ardena’s GMP pilot plant in Oss. Martin obtained his training in Organic Chemistry and combines scientific expertise with hands-on operational leadership in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing environments.

Peter van Hoof is Responsible Group Lead and Project Leader for Solid State Research at Ardena. He leads the scientists in the solid-state laboratory and oversees the scientific direction of customer projects supporting pharmaceutical development programs. Peter has worked in the pharmaceutical industry since 1998 as a solid-state expert, with a strong focus on the CMC development trajectory of newly developed APIs. Throughout his career, he has supported a broad range of drug development programs, building extensive expertise in solid-state characterization, crystallization, and pharmaceutical development. He has also co-authored more than 20 scientific publications in the field. Peter obtained his PhD in Solid-State Chemistry, specializing in crystallization and solid-form development.

René Steendam is Director of Solid State Research at Ardena. He combines technical expertise in solid-state chemistry with experience in project management and business development across pharmaceutical development programs. Throughout his career, René has worked across both academia and industry, contributing to global pharmaceutical development projects with a focus on crystallization and solid-form development. He has authored more than 20 scientific publications and currently serves as Chairman of the Dutch Association for Crystal Growth (DACG). René obtained his PhD in Solid-State Organic Chemistry, specializing in crystallization and solid-form development.

Jeroen Geeven is Head of QA for Ardena’s Drug Substance Solutions Division in Oss. He leads the Quality Assurance organization supporting innovative drug substance development and manufacturing programs across a broad range of pharmaceutical technologies. With more than 20 years of experience, Jeroen has developed extensive expertise in GMP quality systems, regulatory compliance, and the development and manufacture of complex APIs and nanomedicines. He is recognized for his pragmatic and solution-oriented approach, helping clients address quality and compliance challenges while supporting efficient project execution. At Ardena, he works closely with internal teams and clients to ensure quality is embedded throughout the development and manufacturing lifecycle. Jeroen is passionate about building strong partnerships and fostering a culture of quality that supports successful pharmaceutical development from early-stage programs through commercialization.

Marco Jaspers is Principal Scientist and Senior Project Manager at Ardena. He brings more than 20 years of experience across the life sciences and pharmaceutical industry, specializing in leading complex multidisciplinary projects. Throughout his career, Marco has focused on supporting project teams and clients in delivering successful development outcomes across pharmaceutical programs. He is recognized for his results-driven mindset, pragmatic approach, and empathetic leadership style, supporting collaboration across cross-functional project environments. At Ardena, Marco works closely with project teams to help accelerate development programs and support the successful progression of products toward market readiness.

Moniek van der Eem is Director Analytical Sciences at Ardena. She is an experienced analytical chemist with more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, specializing in CMC development and analytical strategies supporting drug development programs. Throughout her career, Moniek has led analytical and quality strategies across complex pharmaceutical projects, supporting the advancement of development programs from early stages into the clinic. She has extensive experience delivering robust analytical data packages and supporting regulatory readiness across development activities. Moniek is recognized for her expertise in analytical sciences and her focus on supporting efficient and compliant pharmaceutical development programs.

Paul van Tilborg is a senior scientific and operational leader with over 25 years of experience in analytical sciences, CMC development, and CRO operations. As Director CRO Services at Ardena in Oss, he is responsible for building and scaling bioanalytical capabilities and leading solid-state research activities, while contributing at an executive level to API analytical sciences. Paul has a strong track record in developing organisations, facilities, and teams with a clear focus on operational efficiency, customer value, and financial performance. At Ardena, he transformed the analytical sciences function from a small start-up operation into a fully established department supporting multiple development programmes, combining technical capability build-up with scalable, financially robust operations. He consistently drives growth by aligning scientific excellence with client needs, ensuring reliable delivery, transparency, and long-term partnerships. His approach emphasises fit-for-purpose solutions, efficient execution, and creating measurable value for customers and the organisation. Earlier in his career at MSD (Organon/Schering-Plough), he led analytical development teams and contributed to CMC strategies, regulatory submissions, and the delivery of complex drug development programmes. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from Utrecht University and contributes to postgraduate education through teaching in applied NMR spectroscopy.

Rob van der Weegen is Principal Scientist and Group Lead at Ardena. He specializes in GMP-compliant process development and scale-up of complex nanoscale therapeutic modalities supporting clinical studies and future commercial manufacturing. Rob joined Ardena in 2018 as a Process Development Scientist in the field of Nanomedicines. Since then, he has focused on supporting process development and manufacturing scale-up activities for advanced therapeutic programs within GMP-regulated environments. Prior to joining Ardena, he completed a two-year postdoctoral position in Paris specializing in polymer and materials sciences. Rob obtained his PhD in Supramolecular Chemistry from Eindhoven University of Technology in 2015.

Silvie Meeuwissen is Director Process R&D and Manufacturing Nanomedicines at Ardena Oss. She specializes in nanomedicine process development and pharmaceutical manufacturing, supporting the development of innovative precision medicine-based therapies. Since joining Ardena in 2013, Silvie has played a key role in the establishment and growth of Ardena’s nanomedicine services. In 2023, she became Director Process R&D and Manufacturing Nanomedicines, leading the department’s efforts in process development and manufacturing activities supporting advanced therapeutic programs. Silvie studied Organic Chemistry and obtained her PhD in Bio-organic Chemistry from Radboud University.

Sjoerd Rijpkema is Senior Scientist and Group Lead at Ardena. He specializes in polymer chemistry and NMR, supporting R&D activities and customer projects within pharmaceutical development programs. Before joining Ardena, Sjoerd worked as a university lecturer, teaching polymer chemistry and NMR. Since joining Ardena, he first worked in laboratory-based roles before progressing into his current position as Group Lead in R&D, where he supports customer projects and team coordination activities. In addition to his work at Ardena, he is a columnist for the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society (KNCV) and is involved in the organization committee for the Future Leaders in Chemistry conference. Sjoerd studied Chemistry in Nijmegen, where he completed a Master’s degree in Organic Chemistry and NMR, followed by a PhD in Systems Chemistry.