Prof Dr Frank Staal obtained his bachelor and master degrees (both cum laude) in Medical Biology at Utrecht University, Netherlands. He received his PhD degree (1993) at the Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine under the supportive guidance of professors Leonard and Leonore Herzenberg where was taught the intricacies of flow cytometry. Thereafter he was fellow of the Royal Academy of Sciences (KNAW) in the laboratory of professor Hans Clevers. In 2000 he was recruited to Erasmus Medical Center (EMC) Rotterdam to start his own laboratory In 2008 he moved to Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and became full professor of Molecular Stem Cell biology. His current research deals with human lymphocyte development, thymic organoids and stem cell based gene theapy for SCID, XLA, DBA and various metabolic diseases.