Jooske IJzer was born on June 30th 1967 in Hilversum, The Netherlands. In 1985 she completed high school (v.w.o.: pre-scientific education) at the Koninklijke Scholengemeenschap Apeldoorn and started a biology study at Utrecht University. In 1986 she started her veterinary education at the Veterinary Faculty of Utrecht University, which she successfully completed in 1995. Until December 1997 she was practicing veterinarian in small animal and mixed veterinary practices. Then she started her training as veterinary pathologist at the Dept. of Pathology, in Utrecht and was registered by the K.N.M.v.D. (Royal Dutch Veterinary Association) as specialist in Veterinary Pathology in February 2002. Since then, she has a staff member position at the Dept. of Pathobiology in Utrecht and cooperates in the diagnostic service of veterinary pathological diagnostic center (V.P.D.C.) and contributes to the education of veterinary students as well as residents in pathology.
In January 2008 she completed her PhD on liver fibrosis and regeneration in dogs and cats, a joint project of the Depts. of Pathobiology and of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals.