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About

Kees-Jan van der Kolk is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of developmental biology, cancer diagnostics, and laboratory automation. His primary research focuses on high-throughput microinjection technologies for zebrafish models, particularly for xenograft applications that predict patient responses to cancer therapeutics. Van der Kolk’s major contributions include developing automated microinjection systems that overcome the labor-intensive nature of manually injecting fragile zebrafish larvae, enabling precise, scalable delivery of cancer cells for clinical diagnostics. His work also extends to comparative studies of robotic versus manual injection methods for CRISPR-based RNA silencing (CasRx) in zebrafish embryos, demonstrating the efficiency of automation for high-throughput gene targeting. Additionally, he has innovated in environmental toxicology by designing a gender-based sorting machine for crustaceans like *Hyalella azteca*, reducing animal use in bioconcentration studies. With papers accumulating citations in the low single digits—reflecting their recent publication (2023–2025)—van der Kolk’s impact is already evident in advancing reproducible, automated workflows that bridge basic research and clinical application. His achievements highlight a commitment to reducing manual labor and animal numbers while enhancing precision, positioning him as a key figure in the future of zebrafish-based diagnostics and eco-toxicological testing.