Meeting Industry Needs
The need for this initiative comes directly from practice. New staff often require months of on-the-job training before they can independently produce ATMPs. Emma: “There are courses, but they are often too expensive for academic centers. Our program needs to be centralized and accessible, so everyone can receive training in accordance with regulations.” Martie adds that the project aims to create a continuous learning trajectory: “Course content will be continuously updated to reflect the latest developments. Even those who previously attended a course can return to stay up to date.”
The societal impact extends beyond educational innovation. The demand for advanced cell and gene therapies is growing worldwide, especially for patients with hard-to-treat cancers. By training professionals faster and more effectively, this project helps reduce onboarding time and scale up production capacity, indirectly accelerating access to innovative cell therapies for patients who often have no alternative treatment options.
Innovative Education
The project develops three courses, each comprising approximately ten half-day sessions, combining workshops, theoretical lessons, and online self-study modules. Emma: “We hope to offer the courses more frequently, both on-site and online, so professionals can learn flexibly and apply their knowledge immediately.” Martie emphasizes the innovative approach: “We start at an entry level to place the education exactly where it’s needed. Together with experts from Erasmus MC and other partners, we provide a mix of content expertise and educational innovation.”
The ultimate goal is twofold: to make new staff deployable faster and to establish a continuous training structure for ATMP operators. Emma: “What success looks like for this project? That new employees are easier to find, can be trained faster—from a year down to about three months—and that a continuous training offer exists so that everyone can demonstrate to IGJ (Dutch Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate) that personnel are properly trained.”
Quick Funding Process
How did the ZonMw application process go for this PharmaNL grant? Emma: “Well, especially the fast turnaround was pleasant. I submit many research grant applications, and having everything from application to approval within a year is rare.” Martie adds: “For universities of applied sciences, it’s advantageous to participate as a partner in such a project. It maximizes the cross-fertilization between education and practice and trains professionals who will eventually work in academic centers.”
A Project of Urgency
Emma stresses that the project is more than a series of isolated courses. “It’s both: courses for beginner practitioners and workshops for current ATMP operators. We learn from the workshops what to add to the courses. It’s one integrated program.” This interplay forms the core of the project: practice informs education, and education strengthens practice, creating a continuous learning pathway aligned with field developments.
According to Martie, this approach is not a luxury but a necessity. “The urgency is high. The field is growing rapidly and requires well-trained ATMP staff.” While the first CAR-T treatments (advanced cell therapies in which a patient’s immune cells are genetically modified to better recognize and attack cancer) were covered by Dutch basic insurance in 2020, and one center produced twenty products, today that number has grown to fifty-five. “These are products made by people. It’s truly hands-on work.”
Moreover, the scope extends beyond operators alone. Pharmacists, biologists, and regulators also work together in this domain. “You need to understand each other’s language,” says Emma. “Pharmacists need biological knowledge, and biologists need to understand drug development. We aim to help bridge that gap.”
Learn More
For more information about the educational offerings in this project or to share a tip, visit Perspectief in Gezondheid and DARE-NL Courses or contact Emma de Pater (e.depater@erasmusmc.nl) or Martie Verschuren (mcm.verschuren@avans.nl).
Text: PharmaNL
Picture: kick-off of the ATMP project
News March 3, 2026 