Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Dr. Mettine H.A. Bos and I am an assistant professor the Leiden University Medical Center. I’ve also worked with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In 2008, I was admitted into the Judith Graham Pool Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

How did you hear about the JGP Fellowship?

My postdoctoral advisor at the time, Dr. Camire, told me about the program.

And what was the focus of your research?

I was working on a project titled “Regulatory Mechanisms in the Activation of Blood Coagulation Factors V and VIII.”

How did the JGP Fellowship support your research at the time? Does it continue to influence your work now?

The JGP Fellowship was my first personal grant. While the funding allowed me to continue my research on structure-function relationships of blood coagulation proteins, the recognition gained by successfully acquiring the JGP fellowship helped build my CV. In addition, participation in the NHF annual meetings was a highly valuable experience to meet peers, leaders in my field of research, and interact with hemophilia patients.

How has your relationship with NHF evolved since your fellowship?

Having been a JGP fellow, I understand the significance of programs like these and inform others about the fellowship. I highly recommend early career researchers to apply for the JGP Fellowship program and appreciate how the NHF advocates for patients by actively connecting these patients to researchers at their meetings.

The Judith Graham Pool Postdoctoral Research Fellowship has been supporting basic science and pre-clinical research to expand our understanding of bleeding disorders since 1972. Learn more here.