Joon Klaps is a PhD student at KU Leuven with a drive to understand viral evolution. Joon's journey began with two successive master's degrees in engineering technology and bioinformatics, both awarded magna cum laude alongside a student prize for graduating top of the class. For the past two and a half years, Joon has delved into viral evolution as a PhD student, excelling in database development, phylogeography, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) processing. Joon has contributed to projects involving the development of phylogenetic and metagenomic pipelines, with a current research interest in the impact of intrahost evolution on Lassa virus virulence and disease progression. Leveraging strong analytical skills and bioinformatics expertise, Joon strives to make a real-world impact on preventing viral spread, and looks forward to interacting with fellow participants and teachers to exchange knowledge and experiences.