Derk Arts, MD PhD
About Derk Arts, MD PhD
Derk Arts, MD PhD, is the Founder and CEO of Castor, a leading clinical trial platform. He advocates for data-driven approaches to enhance evidence-based medicine and aims to extend human health-span through innovative research practices.
Work at Castor
Derk Arts serves as the Founder and CEO of Castor, a clinical trial platform established in 2012. Under his leadership, Castor has become recognized as the best-reviewed platform in the industry. He leads a diverse team of tech optimists, scientists, and entrepreneurs, focusing on human-centered design throughout the clinical trial process. His mission at Castor is to unlock the potential of research data to accelerate medical research, ultimately benefiting humanity. The platform aims to address challenges such as poor data quality, lack of standardization, and data inaccessibility in medical research.
Education and Expertise
Derk Arts holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, which he completed from 2004 to 2011. He also earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Decision Support from the University of Amsterdam between 2012 and 2016. His academic background is complemented by his earlier education at Stedelijk Gymnasium Nijmegen, where he completed the VWO program. This strong educational foundation supports his expertise in leveraging data to enhance evidence-based medicine and clinical research.
Background
Before founding Castor, Derk Arts worked at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam for 12 years, where he held positions as a PhD candidate and postdoctoral researcher from 2011 to 2023. He also gained experience as a researcher at GGZ inGeest for one year in 2008-2009. His extensive background in academic and clinical research has informed his approach to improving clinical trials and medical data utilization.
Achievements
Derk Arts has been instrumental in advocating for the integration of artificial intelligence in clinical trials and promoting the use of wearable technology alongside electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) data. He engages in thought leadership through webinars and discussions, including participation with Aktiia's Chief Medical Officer. His efforts focus on real-world evidence and patient-reported outcomes, contributing to advancements in healthcare innovation.