Prof. dr. dr. Bianca Brundel has been researching the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development and aggravation of atrial fibrillation for 20 years. She also strives to discover new targets for medicines. She began this research in 1996 at the UMCG in Groningen, under the supervision of Prof. I. van Gelder and Prof. dr. H. Crijns, both experts in the clinical treatment of atrial fibrillation. For her research, Prof. Brundel developed unique experimental model systems for atrial fibrillation: the cultured cardiac cell model and Drosophila (fruit flies) model. She has successfully used both systems to unravel mechanisms responsible for atrial fibrillation and has been able to identify potential medicine. She also works closely with (inter)national researchers such as Prof. dr. S. Nattel (Montreal Heart Institute, Canada) and Dr. N. de Groot (EMC). Since January 2016 she has been working at the Physiology department of the VUmc in Amsterdam.