Jentien Vermeulen awarded Dekker grant for research on cardiovascular disease and psychosisPeople with psychosis have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but these often young individuals are frequently identified too late. Dr. Jentien Vermeulen (Psychiatrist and senior researcher) is investigating who is at extra risk. She is developing a calculation tool that will enable healthcare professionals to monitor these individuals earlier. Together with patients, she translates this into an appropriate treatment plan.
Ruud Toonen is the new Director of Impact at VU Amsterdam, from 1 September 2026From 1 September 2026, Prof. Dr Ruud Toonen will be appointed Director of Impact at the Faculty of Science at VU University Amsterdam. In this role, he will continue to build on the faculty’s valorisation ambitions and contribute to strengthening societal impact, external collaboration, and innovation.
Jonathan Coutinho wants to make strokes more visible in science and societyAs a neurologist specializing in both the clinical and fundamental aspects of stroke, Jonathan Coutinho is dedicated to improving the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of stroke. In his inaugural lecture on June 26, 2026, he discussed new approaches to making strokes more visible and detectable at an earlier stage, both by advancing scientific insight into the mechanisms underlying stroke and by increasing public awareness of a disease that remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The lecture marks his appointment as Professor of Vascular Neurology at the University of Amsterdam.
