Sander Puts

I’m Sander Puts, a researcher at Maastro Clinic and Maastricht University. My work focuses on using natural language processing (NLP) and AI to make healthcare more efficient, data-driven, and human-centred. I aim to transform clinical text into meaningful information that supports better communication, improves data quality, and empowers both patients and clinicians.

Before starting my research, I worked as a software engineer in the corporate sector and later at Maastro. Through these experiences, I developed strong engineering skills and the ability to build serious mobile and production applications. This technical background helps me bridge the gap between research and practical implementation, ensuring that AI solutions are robust, usable, and impactful in real clinical settings.

My PhD research focuses on developing intelligent assistants for healthcare professionals. I build AI-driven tools that support radiologists in TNM staging and assist administrative staff in ICD classification — helping to reduce administrative workload while improving the accuracy and consistency of clinical documentation. These assistants show how NLP can directly enhance medical workflows and data quality for research and patient care.

My fascination with NLP began during my Bachelor’s in Knowledge Engineering, where I analysed news articles using NLP. I also studied sociology for a short period, as I’ve always been interested in being at the intersection of social and technical sciences — where technology can help us understand and improve human communication.

I’m passionate about human–computer interaction and creating intelligent assistants that help medical professionals enhance their skills, reduce administrative burden, and focus more on patient care. Outside the clinical domain, I enjoy exploring NLP in hobby projects, such as analysing news or developing tools that help children improve their reading skills.