At the end of September, Utrecht was briefly dominated by a topic that you, as an outsider, should probably sit down for: single domain antibodies. At Jaarbeurs , researchers from universities and institutes from all over the world came together with companies from the lab and biotech world. "It was really bizarrely international," says event manager Hester Pruiksma. "They certainly came from 25 different countries, but probably well over 30."
The Single Domain Antibodies Conference 2025 was organised for the third time, this time by Utrecht University. A 'home game' in its own city you might think, but the choice of Utrecht had precisely also to do with practical considerations. Hester has been working on international conferences in the Netherlands for years and has noticed that Utrecht is often well received. She says: "When people come from all over, Utrecht is very convenient. Everything comes together here." And for international guests, the fact that it is surprisingly close to Amsterdam played a part. Literally and in terms of feeling. "Foreigners often said: what a great location, and how wonderful that it is within walking distance of the station. Or: I didn't know it was so close to Amsterdam."
Switching fast
Hester went looking for locations, approached Jaarbeurs and ended up with account manager Corry Neggers-Huygen: "First I sent an e-mail with: this is what I need. Then an interview and quotation followed. That went very smoothly. We started more than two years in advance, with a slow start. And in the last few months, all the pieces suddenly fell at once." In that hectic phase, fast, approachable communication was decisive for her. "I like fast switching. And I found that with Corry." Corry recognises that: "The first conversation is always scanning: what type of client do I have? With Hester, the application was clear and the communication open. Then sometimes half a word is enough."
Moreover, for Jaarbeurs , such a conference is also a content match. Corry: "Healthcare is one of the strategic industries we focus on. And this is a client from Utrecht itself: Utrecht University. That makes it extra fun for us to host this congress." She also likes to dive into the topic. "I asked in the first talk: what is single domain antibodies anyway? It's complicated when you read the topic as a layman, but it triggered me. Then you can also think along in other ways than just the static."
Space for meeting
The choice fell on the conference venue Supernova at Jaarbeurs, with the Progress as the main plenary hall and Transitzone as an exhibition area next to it. The room layout, poster boards and stands all had to fit, including catering and space to 'land' between sessions. "The lectures revolved around research: where are we, what results are there, who has collaborated with and what is coming up? At the same time, there was also space for companies to network and sponsors stood in the Transitzone to showcase their work and services.
Looking back, Hester feels especially satisfied. Everything stood organisationally like a house and the conference was a success. "The programme was received fantastically and the atmosphere was remarkably relaxed, despite the full schedule. The extensive typical Dutch lunch with fresh soup and sandwiches, which we explicitly chose, was also very much appreciated." That feeling was widely shared, including by sponsors and participants. "All in all, it was just right. The community, the content, the place. That makes such an intense event more than worth it."
