Annemiek van Berkel was a PhD candidate in the group of Matthijs Verhage. Her research investigated which essential roles the MUNC18-1 protein has in nerve cells. Moreover, she studied how mutations in the STXBP1 gene affect functioning of nerve cells and how this can result in the symptoms experienced by STXBP1-E patients. To study this, she used a wide range of molecular and cellular lab techniques, such as live-cell imaging. Annemiek was also involved in setting up the STXBP1 information center.

Annemiek has defended her thesis titled ‘The Price of Prominence: STXBP1/MUNC18-1 in brain (dys)function’ in June 2022.