Kelly Thys
Research technician
+31 43 38 71272
ORCiD 0000-0002-9350-3752
Laboratory of Cellular Genomic Medicine
Department of Clinical Genetics
Maastricht UMC+
P. Debyelaan 25
6229 HX Maastricht
The Netherlands
About me
My interest in genetics grew from curiosity into a real drive to understand how biology works at its core, and how that knowledge can be translated into real-world applications. I enjoy the fact that science never stands still: every experiment, protocol, or dataset brings a new question and a chance to improve. I like troubleshooting and refining workflows, and I’m happiest when I can break something complex down until it truly makes sense.
As a research technician in the CGM group, I work across wet-to-dry lab workflows and contribute to method development and quality-focused lab practice. I value structured documentation and practical support behind the scenes, whether that’s helping a project move forward, making a protocol easier to follow, or ensuring consistent results. I also enjoy supporting colleagues, sharing skills, explaining methods, and helping others feel confident with new techniques.
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Timeline
2026 –
2021 – 2026
2019 – 2021
2016 – 2019
Research technician, Cellular Genomic Medicine, Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht UMC, NL
PhD candidate in Biology, Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, BE
MSc in Marine and Lacustrine Sciences and Management, Free University of Brussels, Ghent University & University of Antwerp, Brussels, BE
BSc in Biology, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, BE
Personal touch
When I am not in the lab, I like to reset by cooking or baking, sometimes following a recipe in a very structured, step-by-step way, but I also enjoy freestyling and experimenting. I also like spending time with family and friends, going for walks at home or at the seaside. On holidays, I like to try new outdoor activities, such as diving or surfing. I am curious by nature, so I am always learning something new, especially when it comes to technology. Fun fact: while I love baking, I’m not actually that fond of eating the sweets I make myself.


Honors & Awards
2025 Tier-1 Data project allocation of HPC storage for genomic datasets, Flemish Supercomputer Center (VSC)
2024 Travel grant for a research stay travel in Austria, The Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)
2023 Research grant for Whole-Genome Sequencing, Brilliant Marine Research Idea (BMRI) from Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)
2022 Travel grant for the PAFFA Conference in Congo-Brazzaville, Fisheries Society of the British Isles (FSBI)
2021 Research Grant for my PhD, Special Research Fund (BOF) of Hasselt University
2021 Oceans & Lakes Best Student Award, Free University of Brussels (VUB)
2021 VLIZ Marine Science Day Poster prize on MSc thesis, VLIZ

