Mental Health
Program support: Simone van der Riet
Contact: aph.mentalhealth@amsterdamumc.nl
To completely understand the causes and consequences of mental health problems, a multidisciplinary approach is needed
Mission and goals
It is undisputed that there is no health without mental health, encompassing the wide spectrum from mental well-being to severe mental illness. Mental disorders, such as depressive disorders, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders are common in the general population; they rank among the conditions with the largest disease burden worldwide. Other, less common disorders, such as psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder and OCD have enormous impact on the lives of those afflicted. Overall, life-time prevalence rates of mental disorders are very high, at 40-50% in most places in the world. Mental health conditions impact not only on individuals’ wellbeing and quality of life, but also their somatic health, healthcare utilization and daily (work) functioning. Therefore, these conditions have a profound impact on society as a whole.
Mental health conditions are considered complex diseases, with multiple risk factors involved in their etiology: genetics, psychosocial and environmental stressors, brain abnormalities, personality and coping strategies and somatic conditions. Consequently, to more completely understand the causes and consequences of mental health problems, a multidisciplinary approach is needed.
To understand the entire spectrum of mental health, the Mental Health research program will in addition to examining the development of (chronic) mental disorders, also encompass mental well-being and quality of life. Such a wide focus will provide insight into resilience factors that prevent mental ill-health, and will provide us with new keys for preventive strategies of mental health problems. A strong focus in our research program will also be on the development of better interventions to improve health among those with mental health problems. It is well known that the currently available treatments work, but not for all. Developing personalized medicine approaches, in which we better target existing or new treatments based on patient profiles, is an important focus for the next decade of mental health research.
Program leaders
Research themes
Etiology, development and consequences of mental health
This theme includes epidemiological, observational research either in the community setting, the general practice setting and/or the psychiatric care setting. We have a rich source of large-scale community and/or patient cohorts covering the entire lifespan. The objectives are to investigate: (1) genetic, clinical, psychosocial and environmental factors that contribute to mental well-being and the development of mental disorders; (2) the chronicity, staging and profiling of disorders; and (3) the impact of mental disorders on the individual patient, the patient’s social environment as well as the society at large.
Prevention and treatment of mental health problems
This theme encompasses research that contributes to evidence-based information on innovative prevention and treatment interventions to improve mental health and reduce associated disability. This research line also uses insights from observational studies, but will mainly provide new insights through the conduct of various intervention studies (RCT’s). These intervention studies are applied in the general population, primary care, mental healthcare and somatic healthcare settings.
Soma & Psyche
This theme aims to facilitate research on the interface between mental health and somatic disease. Mental disorders are highly prevalent in patients with somatic diseases and psychiatric patients frequently have or develop coexisting somatic diseases. The studies investigate (1) mental health, mental disorders and quality of life in persons with various somatic diseases; (2) (underlying reasons for) increased somatic health problems in persons with psychiatric disorders; (3) specific conditions at the interface of soma & psyche such as chronic pain and somatoform symptoms and disorders; and (4) effects of specific intervention programs targeting combined somatic and mental health problems.
Program council
The program leaders of the Mental Health research program chair the MH Program Council. This program council consist of a selection of senior researchers of the research program who meet at least bi-annually to implement or update the research program-specific strategy and to discuss anticipatory or reactive response to external events.
Program council members | |
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Claudi Bockting | Brenda Penninx |
Dorret Boomsma | Arne Popma |
Lieuwe de Haan | Mirjam Sprangers |
Lotte Haverman | Annemieke van Straten |
Patricia van Oppen | Arnoud Verhoeff |
Junior council
The Mental Health research program has installed a MH Junior Council that provides program leaders with solicited and unsolicited advice and helps them with the organization of research program-specific activities or events.
Junior council members | |
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Maud van Muilekom | Laura Nawijn |
Anouk Gathier | Camille Souama |
Chiara Jongerius | Sjanne van der Stappen |
Research program members
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Chani Nuij
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Anika Bongaarts MSc
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Hill Ip
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Hilde van der Aa
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Bianca Lever-van Milligen MSC.
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Arne Popma PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Floor Willigenburg-Bevaart DR.
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Silvia van den Heijkant DR.
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AM Kleiboer
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Jasper J. Anink
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Mirjam J. van Tricht PhD
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Roel J. T. Mocking MD MSc PhD
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Mirjam A. G. Sprangers Prof. PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Maartje de Wit DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Aartjan Beekman PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Iris D. Hartog MA
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Anne M. J. B. Smets MD
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Ingeborg Brouwer
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JE Bosmans
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Ralph Kupka PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Mitzi Waltz
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Wouter van Ballegooijen
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Anja Lok MD PhD
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Anna C. Domen
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Sander Koole
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Marieke van Dijk PhD
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Hans Koot
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Jan Smit PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Neeltje Batelaan MD, PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Nina L. Fransen
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Baudewijntje Kreukels DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Erwin A. van Vliet PhD
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Heleen Riper , (Principal Investigator)
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A.M. Pot
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SM Begeer
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Miriam Douma
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Baukje Schippers
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Marcus Huibers
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Miranda Olff Prof. PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Dominique Maciejewski DR.
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Jackelien G. M. van Scheppingen PhD
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Marieke Houniet-de Gier DRS.
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Mathilde G. E. Verdam PhD
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Jens Henrichs DR.
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Anna E. Goudriaan Prof. PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Mariska Bot MSC.
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Caroline Jonkman
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Joost Dekker PROF.DR.
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Anna Muntingh PhD
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Lucas van Oudheusden DRS.
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Berno van Meijel PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Rosalie Pronk
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Adriaan Honig PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Frank Jan Snoek PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Yulan Qing
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Karel W. F. Scheepstra
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Linde Scholten PhD
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Rose-Marie Dröes PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Ansam Barakat
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Irene L. M. Klaassen
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Hector G. van den Boorn MSc
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Eleonora Aronica Prof., (Principal Investigator)
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Maximilianus Stek PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Till S. Zimmer
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Henriette van der Horst PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Karen Nieuwenhuijsen PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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DI Boomsma
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Rick Jansen
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Otto Maarsingh MD, (Principal Investigator)
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Karlijn Joling PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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AHM Willemsen Prof.
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Marije Verhage
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Andreas Leonard Amons
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Yak Mee M. Wong
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Marijke Bremmer DR.
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WIlda D. Rosmolen
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Dorine H. Nieman PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Els P. M. van Meijel
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Femke Lamers DR.IR., (Principal Investigator)
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RSL Ligthart
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Marleen de Moor
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EM Sijbrandij PhD
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Gabrielle A. M. Appel
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Mandy Xian Hu DR.
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Tara Donker
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J.J.M. Dekker
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Jentien M. Vermeulen MD
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Christiaan Vis
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J van Dongen
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Liesbeth van der Sluijs Veer PhD
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Liesbeth Reneman Prof., (Principal Investigator)
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Ton van Balkom PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Jenneke Wiersma
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Hiske E. Becker MD
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C Schuengel
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Filip Smit
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Almar Andreas Leonardus Kok DR.
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Hansje Heller DRS.
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Alyssa Jongeneel
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Eirini Karyotaki dr.
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Lucres Nauta-Jansen DR., (Principal Investigator)
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AC Huizink
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Gert J. Geurtsen MSc PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Sophie Lijdsman
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Lieuwe de Haan Prof. PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Paul Zhutovsky
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Adrie Seldenrijk DR.
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Anja van der Hout
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Lieke van Domburgh
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M. van der Gaag
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Petrus Bet DR.
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Paul Doedens MSc
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Anne Bakker PhD
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Stasja Draisma DR.
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Kennedy N. Ngowi
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Amy M. Tedja
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Agnes Willemen
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Sigfried Schouws DR. PhD
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Hans Knoop Prof. PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Irma Verdonck-de Leeuw PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Patricia van Oppen DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Esmée Verwijk PhD
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Mirjam van Zuiden PhD
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Angelika Mühlebner-Fahrngruber PhD
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Karen Holtmaat MA
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Derk A. Colenbrander
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Lidwien A. Tjaden MD
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Brenda Penninx PROF.DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Lynn Boschloo
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WJMJ Cuijpers
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M Bartels
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Eric van Exel DR.
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JC de Schipper
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Jolanda Maas
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Lotte Haverman PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Axel Petzold DR.
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Merel M. van Herpen
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Hilde de Kluiver
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Jessy Joy J. van Kleef MSc
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M Oosterman
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Nicole Korten DR.
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Paula Sterkenburg
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Robert Vermeiren PROF.DR.
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Nadine Paans
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Idserd D. G. Klop
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Danae Georgiadou MSc
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Claudi L. H. Bockting Prof. MSc PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Karin J. H. Verweij Prof. PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Tom H. Oreel
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Kelly L. A. van Bindsbergen
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Maud M. van Muilekom MSc
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Mara L. van der Hoeven MSc
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Ramón Lindauer Prof. MA MD PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Jos A. Bosch
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Agni Baka
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Mieke Schulte
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Annemieke Dols MD PhD, (Principal Investigator)
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Anneke van Schaik DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Sandra Kooij PROF.DR.
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Florie van Beek
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Amanda M. Legemaat MSc
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Melissa Y. M. Thong PhD
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Josine Verhoeven DR.
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Margriet Kousemaker
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Sonia Difrancesco
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Trees Juurlink DRS.
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Birit Broekman Associate Professor
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Annelieke Martine Roest
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Karin Remmerswaal
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Wouter van Ballegooijen
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Willemijn Scholten
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Sjors Lange DRS.
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Thomas D. Steensma DR., (Principal Investigator)
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Annelou de Vries DR.
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Eleonore van Sprang DRS.
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Lisa van Zutphen
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Sanne Terpstra
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Eveline Schippers
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Emma Koenen
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Reino Stoffelsen DRS.
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Yvonne Kerkhof
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Simone Schopman
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A van der Markt
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Melany Horsfall DRS.
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Claire van Genugten
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Jeanet Karchoud MSC.
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Arne van den End
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Savannah Ikelaar
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Kuan-Yu Pan
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Sabina Kef
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Marjolein Missler
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Leonore de Wit
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Geke Romijn
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O. Eylem
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Eline Heppe PhD
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Fiona Hagenbeek
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Anouk Schuit
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Anne de Graaff
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Anke Scheeren
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Anne Huntjens