Ton Rabelink received his medical degree in 1986 at the University of Utrecht (cum laude). After obtaining a PhD degree in renal physiology he subsequently received board qualifications in internal medicine (1993) and nephrology and vascular medicine (1995). He was awarded a career stimulation grant by the Royal Academy of Sciences in 1993. Within the framework of this grant he was given the opportunity to work in the lab of professor Lüscher and become experienced in molecular biology. After his return to Utrecht he subsequently became chairman of medicine in 2000. In 2004 he moved to Leiden University to become head of Nephrology and Transplantation. Since 2010 he is Chairman of Medicine in Leiden University Medical Center. He has served in several professional organizations such as the Kidney Foundation (Chairman of the scientific board), member of the National Committee on adult stem cell research (ZonMW, TAS) and chairman of the council of pathogenesis of the scientific board of the Dutch Heart Foundation. He has published over 300 papers in peer reviewed journals. His current research interest is focused towards vascular biology and in particular the role of the endothelium in vascular biological processes and cell therapy. In the latter the focus is on clinical development of MSC and beta cell therapy.