(text by Marileen Dogterom)

With very deep sadness we would like to let you know that BN PhD student Mathia Arens passed away on 23 June 2020. Mathia came to BN as a PhD student in the group of Anne Meyer to work on the role of DPS in the bacterial stress response. She did beautiful work that got published in Cell. When Anne left, Mathia joined the group of Liedewij Laan to finish her PhD thesis.

Unfortunately soon after that, she heard that her cancer had come back. Although the prospects were not good, Mathia remained extraordinarily positive, energetic, passionate and full of life. Mathia was 33 years old. We will sincerely miss Mathia, and we will remember her for her openness, joyfulness and kindness. It is hard to think of the emptiness she leaves behind in the lives of her husband Roberto and family. 

BN will make a book for Mathia's family, so please feel free to send your cards, texts and pictures by email to T.L.deRuijter@tudelft.nl, so it can be offered to the family at a later date.