Our People
Our people are the force behind uniQure’s success—here are a few of their stories.
Martin Kangwa
Senior Scientist, Process Development
Martin Kangwa joined uniQure in Amsterdam in 2021 and now serves as a Senior Scientist PD / Team Lead Research Supply.
Martin and his team work tirelessly to make sure that all the necessary gene therapy materials are produced and delivered to our Research and Non-Clinical teams on time for their studies.
He enjoys working in the field of gene therapy because it has so much potential as the future of medicine.
“I have hope for my friends, family, and everyone who has been affected by genetic diseases, that maybe one day, in the near future, there will be new, disease-modifying treatment options for them,” says Martin. “Each day, I come to work with a feeling of purpose.”
He enjoys working at uniQure due to its remarkable people, who are full of positivity and enthusiasm.
“Everyone is open and ready to discuss and try something new,” he says. “This is the essence of uniQure – a collective openness that fosters a willingness to embrace novel concepts, engage in discussions, and fearlessly embark on uncharted paths.”
Nathalie Pech-Zwahlen
VP Strategic Planning Lead
Nathalie Pech-Zwahlen joined our Amsterdam office in 2015 and today serves as our VP, Strategic Planning Lead.
In her role, she works with all departments at uniQure to come up with an agreed execution strategy for our drug development programs – ensuring that our teams work well together to keep the programs on track and achieve uniQure’s goals.
“The fact that I directly contribute to developing a potential therapy for patients that are suffering from diseases is a true satisfaction. When I hear our patients’ stories, I realize how devastating these diseases can be, and this is what inspires me. It is extremely rewarding to see their pictures all around our office and hear their stories of how their lives have been changed participating in uniQure’s gene therapy clinical trial programs.”
She is also motivated by the challenges of developing gene therapy, an innovative field of medicine in which there is no pre-defined path. “Gene therapy is, really, uncharted territory. I am learning every day — nothing is easy, and there are many pitfalls and unknowns. Personally and professionally, this is an amazing journey.”
Nathalie, who comes from France and is an avid traveler, says she thrives working with uniQure’s “truly international team of enthusiastic, committed, and talented people. I came from a bigger company and found it’s harder in large organizations to communicate with all the different departments. Here, as a smaller, growing company, you get a chance to actively contribute to our overall mission. I also very much appreciate the faster decision-making process and agility of a company of our size.”
Vanessa Zancanella
Sr. Scientist
In her work as a scientist in our Amsterdam R&D hub, Vanessa Zancanella is focused on the preclinical development of our gene therapy candidate for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), AMT-161.
She enjoys being a part of the team involved in the early research and making decisions that bring a new program to life. “I enjoy working in a field of science where I can make a difference,” says Vanessa. “Here at uniQure, our motivation is to develop a potential therapy for the patients that are suffering from diseases for which there are no cures or only very limited possibilities. At the end of the day, this is what drives me to do my best.”
She looks forward to advancing our ALS program and to continuing to develop gene therapies for the central nervous system.
Beyond the cutting-edge science, Italy native Vanessa says she enjoys working at uniQure because of its dynamic international environment. “I love to interact with my colleagues as much as possible. uniQure feels like a second family to me!”
