Barbara van Loon

Dr. Barbara van Loon is an Associate Professor at the Norwegian University for Science and Technology (NTNU) in the Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine. Her research focuses on DNA and chromatin integrity, particularly in developmental disorders and diseases like cancer and neurological conditions. She leads a team of PhD and Master’s students.

• Education
  • BSc and MSc in Biology from the University of Zagreb (Croatia)
  • PhD from the Life Science Zurich Graduate School (Switzerland), completed at the University of Zurich

Dr. van Loon's research investigates how DNA base damages contribute to aging, cancer, and neurological diseases. She uses advanced technologies, including organoid culture systems, to study specialized DNA polymerases and repair proteins.

She previously worked as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), and as a Group Leader at the Institute of Veterinary Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Zurich (Switzerland).

• Scientific Awards
  • Onsager Fellowship at NTNU

Dr. van Loon's lab includes PhD students Rossana Aprigliano, Lilli Bittner, Nicola Montaldo, Marcel Roesinger, and Master’s student Nina Stahel. Her work connects DNA repair mechanisms to disease pathogenesis and therapeutic development.