Recently, several prestigious prizes and grants have been awarded to our AI&I members. Learn more about these accomplished individuals and their projects in the article below!
Dr. C.J. Roos Award 2025 – Second Prize for Brent Appelman
At the 21st Top Thesis session during the Dutch Internal medicine Days, the Dr. C.J. Roos Award 2025 was presented to recognize the best clinical PhD theses in internal medicine. Brent Appelman, a resident in Internal Medicine at Amsterdam UMC and a member of the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, received the second prize for his thesis "COVID-19: Prevention, Disease and Sequelae."
Appelman's research explored the humoral immune response in hospital staff, contributing to a revised national vaccination strategy by the RIVM. He also identified significantly increased mortality and hospital readmission rates in COVID-19 patients with advanced kidney failure or kidney transplants. His work further demonstrated that thrombocytopenia in severe COVID-19 suggests an active role for platelets in the immune response.
During his PhD, he also dedicated considerable time to researching post-COVID conditions. It was found that long COVID patients with post-exertional malaise (PEM) exhibit distinct musculoskeletal symptoms, including structural abnormalities in skeletal muscle following exertion. Furthermore, these patients showed abnormal levels of IDO2 expression within immune cells. At the same time, their IgG antibodies displayed pathogenic traits. In experimental models, mice injected with IgG from post-COVID patients developed persistent sensory and motor abnormalities, suggesting a potential causal role for IgG in long-term symptoms.
Want to learn more about this research? Read the article by Dr. Appelman and colleagues, Transfer of IgG from Long COVID Patients Induces Symptomatology in Mice.
Van Leeuwenhoek Award – Dr. Astrid Hendriks
Dr. Astrid Hendriks, member of the Infectious Diseases program of the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious diseases and postdoc in the group of prof. Nina van Sorge, has been awarded the Van Leeuwenhoek Award at the recent KNVM/NVMM Scientific Spring Meeting. This annual prize recognizes the best publication in medical microbiology by a young postdoctoral researcher (within five years of obtaining a PhD). Dr. Hendriks received the award for her paper published last year on the role of IgM in host defense against S. aureus.
Van Leeuwenhoek Award: Presented by the KNVM/NVMM science committee, the Van Leeuwenhoek Awards honor the legacy of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the founding father of microbiology, the award aims to foster emerging talent in the Dutch microbiological sciences.
Interested to learn more about Dr. Hendriks’ publication? Read the article on our website titled “A Step Forward in the Battle Against MRSA.”
Dr. Sietze Reitsma - Appointed Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, with a Special Focus on Rhinology
Dr. Sietze Reitsma’s chair is embedded in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, part of Division 5 (Neuro/Head and Neck) at Amsterdam UMC, and is affiliated with the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases (AI&I).