Dr. Ramos has strong dual expertise in Molecular (stem) Cell Biology and Molecular Epidemiology. This has allowed Ramos to set-up a framework to functionally characterize identified genetic variants predisposing development and progression of osteoarthritis. The framework combines human primary joint cells, pluripotent stem cells, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and human 3D in vitro models such as ‘joint-on-a-chip’ which allows to characterize cartilage-bone interface. Ramos aims at obtaining profound insight into the specific characteristics of joint tissues and the role of epigenetics in musculoskeletal homeostasis. Ramos’ research, added value to the field of complex multifactorial joint arthropathies, has enabled acquisition of SCI-MAP, a consortium grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) comprising a PhD and postdoc in her group, and acquisition of international H2020 collaborative grant AutoCRAT.