In April 2009 Michiel joined the Ellinor lab as post-doctoral fellow, as part of his Cardiology training at the University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. He earned his M.D. at the University of Antwerp, Belgium and his Ph.D. at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. His focus was on the epidemiology and genetics of atrial fibrillation using cohorts both at MGH and in the Framingham Heart Study.

Michiel is now the clinical director of the Cardiology department, University Medical Center Groningen,