Jeroen Vollenbroek received his BSc and MSc in Electrical Engineering at the University of Twente. During his master, which he finished in 2016, he specialized in microtechnology and Lab on a Chip systems. He received a joint doctorate from the University of Twente (BIOS Lab on a Chip group) and Utrecht University (Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis) for his PhD thesis entitled “Microreactors for single catalyst particle diagnostics” in 2020. After that, he worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU, department of Nephrology and Hypertension), where he developed electrocatalytic systems for the oxidation of urea, with the aim of improving dialysate regeneration for use in a wearable artificial kidney. Currently, he is employed as a senior post-doctoral researcher at the University of Twente (BIOS Lab on a Chip group) and the University Medical Center Utrecht (department of Nephrology and Hypertension). Part of his UMCU appointment is detached at research institute Imec NL. He tries to bring together expertise of the technical research institutes for projects focused on the development of microdevices of artificial and implantable kidney systems and environmental applications. Some of the projects and grants he is involved in can be found under the research tab.

Expertise

  • Chemistry

    • Reaction Temperature
    • Microfluidics
    • Pressure
    • Reaction Condition
  • Material Science

    • Catalyst
    • Particle
    • Droplet
    • Temperature

Organisations

Current Research and Collaborations

As an Assistant Professor at UMCU and a researcher at the University of Twente, I have established a dedicated research line on micro/nanotechnology for artificial kidney systems. I supervise three PhD students and one postdoc, guiding them in cutting-edge projects that I have initiated through grant applications and strategic collaborations.

Within the NXT GEN growth fund, subsidized by the Dutch government, I am leading the establishment of a state-of-the-art test lab at UMCU. This facility is designed to expedite the translation of artificial kidney innovations from bench to bedside in collaboration with both academic and industrial partners. The test lab is equipped with advanced systems for in-vitro and in-vivo studies, including real-time monitoring of protein-bound uremic toxins, testing the durability of miniaturized hemofilters, and developing sorbents for portable dialysis machines. 

These test facilities and collaborations are being actively utilized in several projects, including the UKID project, where we develop sorbent technology for portable artificial kidneys, and the MI-TRAM project, focusing on non-invasive methods for improving protein-bound toxin removal for kidney patients. Additionally, I lead a work package within the KIDNEW project, collaborating with IMEC and Utrecht University to integrate a miniaturized silicon-based flat membrane hemofilter with a bio-artificial kidney module. In this project, we developed a rapid prototyping lab critical to our advancements. I have also secured funding for the MICROMERULUS  project, where I am developing novel, ultra-strong silicon nitride membranes with specialized coatings for use in artificial kidneys. For this, I have partnered with the Membrane Science and Technology group at the University of Twente, experts in novel membrane coatings.

Publications

2023

Droplet microreactor for high-throughput fluorescence-based measurements of single catalyst particle acidity (2023)Microsystems & nanoengineering, 9. Article 39. Vollenbroek, J. C., Nieuwelink, A.-E., Bomer, J. G., Tiggelaar, R. M., van den Berg, A., Weckhuysen, B. M. & Odijk, M.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-023-00495-2Portable, wearable and implantable artificial kidney systems: needs, opportunities and challenges (2023)Nature Reviews Nephrology, 19(8), 481-490. Ramada, D. L., de Vries, J., Vollenbroek, J., Noor, N., ter Beek, O., Mihăilă, S. M., Wieringa, F., Masereeuw, R., Gerritsen, K. & Stamatialis, D.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-023-00726-9Light-driven urea oxidation for a wearable artificial kidney (2023)Catalysis today, 419. Article 114163. Vollenbroek, J. C., Paradelo Rodriguez, A., Mei, B. T., Mul, G., Verhaar, M. C., Odijk, M. & Gerritsen, K. G. F.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2023.114163

2021

High-throughput activity screening and sorting of single catalyst particles with a droplet microreactor using dielectrophoresis (2021)Nature Catalysis, 4(12), 1070-1079. Nieuwelink, A.-E., Vollenbroek, J. C., Tiggelaar, R. M., Bomer, J. G., Berg, A. v. d., Odijk, M. & Weckhuysen, B. M.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7Detection of Spontaneous FeOOH Formation at the Hematite/Ni(Fe)OOH Interface during Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting by Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (2021)ACS catalysis, 11(19), 12324-12335. Ismail, A. S. M., Garcia-Torregrosa, I., Vollenbroek, J. C., Folkertsma, L., Bomer, J. G., Haarman, T., Ghiasi, M., Schellhorn, M., Nachtegaal, M., Odijk, M., van den Berg, A., Weckhuysen, B. M. & De Groot, F. M. F.https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.1c02566Single Catalyst Particle Diagnostics in a Microreactor for Performing Multiphase Hydrogenation Reactions (2021)Faraday Discussions, 229, 267-280. Article 229. Nieuwelink, A.-E., Vollenbroek, J. C., Ferreira de Abreu, A., Tiggelaar, R. M., van den Berg, A., Odijk, M. & Weckhuysen, B. M.https://doi.org/10.1039/D0FD00006JAutonomous capillary microfluidic devices with constant flow rate and temperature-controlled valving (2021)Soft matter, 17(33), 7781-7791. Li, L., Westerbeek, E. Y., Vollenbroek, J. C., de Beer, S., Shui, L., Odijk, M. & Eijkel, J. C. T.https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00625H

2020

Microreactors for single catalyst particle diagnostics: Measuring catalytic activity at high-throughput in multi-phase flows (2020)[Thesis › PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT]. University of Twente. Vollenbroek, J. C.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036549325Autonomous capillary microfluidic devices with constant flow rate and temperature-controlled valving (2020)[Contribution to conference › Paper] 24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, µTAS 2020. Li, L., Westerbeek, E. Y., Vollenbroek, J. C., Shui, L., Odijk, M. & Eijkel, J. C. T.

Research profiles

Address

University of Twente

Carré (building no. 15), room C2243
Hallenweg 23
7522 NH Enschede
Netherlands

Navigate to location

Organisations

Scan the QR code or
Download vCard