KNAW members & The Young Academy

Andrew Webb (member since 2023, Department of Radiology)

Andrew Webb is a professor at the department of radiology at Leiden University and the founding director of the Gorter MRI Center at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). Webb is an expert in MRI, a medical imaging technique that utilizes powerful magnetic fields and radio waves to peer inside the body. He has developed techniques to enhance image quality and maximize information content.

His specific research focus is on increasing the impact of this technology by developing simpler, more sustainable, and smarter MRI machines that are accessible in developing countries or can be used in small healthcare facilities. Employing an open science approach, he is developing entirely new MRI machines that utilize powerful small permanent magnets instead of traditional superconducting magnets. A first version of this MRI device was built on-site in Uganda, with plans to construct many more in other low- and middle-income countries.

Pancras Hogendoorn (member since 2021, Department of Pathology)

Pancras Hogendoorn is known for groundbreaking molecular-genetic and clinical-pathological research on human bone and soft tissue tumors. His work has led to precision diagnosis and treatment for patients who previously had limited therapeutic options. An acknowledgment of his significant contributions to the diagnosis and classification of these rare tumors is the invitation from the WHO in 2012 for Hogendoorn to join the board that categorizes tumors in bone and soft tissues. Through this contribution, he has contributed to global improvements in classification, research, and care.

In addition to being a researcher, Hogendoorn is also a prominent ambassador for science. He is a co-founder of the National Science Agenda and a member of the Top Team Life Sciences & Health, which brings together science, industry, and government. He is also the chairman of the Biomedgroup of the LERU, the European association of universities.

Ton Schumacher (member since 2021, Department of Hematology)

Ton Schumacher has made discoveries that are crucial for the treatment of cancer with immunotherapy. He has contributed to understanding how T-cells in tumors can be more effectively activated and how proteins on tumor cells contribute to successful immunotherapy in individual patients.

Schumacher is internationally renowned for his technological innovations. He possesses a great talent for translating the fundamental discoveries resulting from these innovations into clinical applications. The unique combination of academic excellence and entrepreneurship embodied by Schumacher is an asset to the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

Eline Slagboom (member since 2021, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences)

Why do some people in their nineties happily ride bicycles, while other seniors already have multiple health conditions by the age of seventy? Eline Slagboom has dedicated her scientific career to studying the genetic factors that promote healthy aging and the molecular profiles in your blood that indicate biological age. These profiles are linked to metabolism, inflammation, and the bacterial composition of the body. Much of this research was conducted in the unique Leiden Longevity Study, of which she is the founder.

In recent years, she has expanded her approach, initiating molecular profiles in nationwide population research (BBMRI-metabolomics) and linking them to lifestyle interventions. She and her colleagues also uncover the long-term effects of environmental factors before birth. Slagboom has been making her unique mark on aging research for thirty years. Thanks in part to the new paths she has taken, she is now at the height of her abilities.

Maria Yazdanbakhsh (member since 2020, Department of Parasitology)

Maria Yazdanbakhsh (born 1959) is a pioneering scientist at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), leading a multidisciplinary research group that combines demographic studies with immunology. Her work spans fundamental molecular and cellular research, clinical trials, and field studies in Africa and Asia. Yazdanbakhsh's discoveries have enhanced vaccines against parasitic infections in developing countries and advanced medicines for inflammatory diseases prevalent in wealthier nations.

Her groundbreaking research unveiled the immune system-modifying effects of parasitic infections, offering protection against inflammatory diseases like allergies and Type 2 diabetes. As the scientific coordinator of the Leiden Controlled Human Infection Center (L-CHIC), she conducts unique studies infecting healthy volunteers to rapidly test candidate vaccines and medicines. Beyond her scientific contributions, Yazdanbakhsh actively enhances research capacity in Indonesia and African countries, fostering long-term partnerships. The committee commends her as an outstanding scientist, praising her pioneering role in fundamental research and its translation to medicine and field studies.

Frans van der Helm (member since 2020, Department of Orthopedics)

Frans van der Helm's research builds a bridge between biomedical sciences and mechanical engineering. He integrates theories of neuromuscular control by the brain and through the spinal cord with highly advanced muscle-skeletal models to gain insight into the neural and biomechanical principles of human movements. The methods and models he has developed prove to be widely applicable, ranging from robotics and semi-autonomous driving cars to injury prevention in sports, joint implants, and surgical technology. Van der Helm is one of the leading figures and advocates for collaboration between clinicians and engineers, a field that is currently gaining significant momentum. This is evident, for example, in the establishment of Medical Delta, where various stakeholders, including academic hospitals and the Delft University of Technology, collaborate on technological solutions for sustainable healthcare.

Ewout Steyerberg (member since 2019, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences)

As medical science increasingly gains access to big data, Ewout Steyerberg's clinical prediction research becomes crucial. His book "Clinical Prediction Models" from 2009 significantly boosted the research field. Steyerberg developed advanced regression modeling and other statistical techniques for prediction, aiming to enhance decision-making in healthcare. His methods have become the standard in numerous clinical domains worldwide. Steyerberg also focuses on the design and analysis of randomized clinical studies, cost-effectiveness, decision analysis, and quality of care research. The ultimate goal of his research is to facilitate better decision-making within the healthcare sector.

Peter ten Dijke (member since 2018, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology)

Peter ten Dijke is a talented cell biologist who has made groundbreaking contributions to elucidating the central role of the growth factor TGF-beta. This growth factor, present in the cells of our bodies, plays a pivotal role in the development of various types of cancer. Ten Dijke and his team discovered several molecules capable of regulating and controlling the growth factor. This not only led to novel treatments for cancer but also extended to addressing bone diseases, wound healing, and cardiovascular conditions.

Jacques Neefjes (member since 2015, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology)

Sjaak (Jacques) Neefjes (born 1952) is a distinguished Professor of Chemical Immunology at Leiden University and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), concurrently leading the Department of Cellular and Chemical Biology (LUMC). His interdisciplinary approach combines chemistry, cell biology, immunology, and biochemistry to illuminate cellular processes, resulting in significant breakthroughs impacting cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders.

Neefjes' pioneering work includes unraveling the intricate antigen processing in infected cells, vital for prompt immune responses, leading to the development of radioimmunotherapy for specific tumors. He identified the link between bacterial infections, such as salmonella, and cancer, offering potential preventative strategies. Recognized by the Spinoza Committee as an outstanding scientist, Neefjes holds leadership roles in patented technologies and memberships in prestigious scientific societies, including the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Spinoza Prize has empowered him to pursue his most critical project: introducing less toxic anthracyclines (aclarubicin and modified doxorubicin) with far-reaching implications for cancer treatment.

Christine Mummery (member since 2010, Department of Anatomy and Embryology)

Christine Mummery, Professor of Developmental Biology at LUMC, is a leading figure in stem cell research. Trained in Biophysics at the University of London, she was a Royal Society postdoctoral fellow at the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht, later becoming a staff member and group leader. Transitioning to Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) in 2008, she chaired Developmental Biology and headed the department from 2009-2020. Mummery introduced human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) to the Netherlands after a sabbatical at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

Her current research focuses on modeling cardiovascular diseases using patient-derived stem cells and developing organ-on-chip models for safety pharmacology and disease/drug targets. Leading an NWO Gravity proposal, she secured a multimillion grant in 2017 and holds European Research Council Advanced and Proof-of-Concept grants. Mummery co-founded NCardia bv, the European Organ on Chip Society, and the Netherlands Human Disease Modelling Technology organization (hDMT.technology). A member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Science (KNAW), she serves as the president of the International Society of Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). Passionate about diversity in STEM, Mummery is on several scientific advisory boards, including the Hubrecht Institute, the Allen Institute, Mogrify, and Sartorius Gmbh.

Frits Rosendaal (member since 2008, Department of Clinical Epidemiology)

Frits Rosendaal is a professor and head of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). His research focuses on the causes of cardiovascular diseases. In 2003, he was awarded the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific award in the Netherlands. He is an elected member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and the German Academy Leopoldina. In 2011, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Paris Descartes. Rosendaal serves as the editor-in-chief of the prestigious Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, is a member of the Council of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, and holds positions in various committees, including the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Additionally, he is actively involved with the Universita degli Studi di Milano in Milan, Italy, and the Norges Arktiske Universitet in Tromsø, Norway.

Cock van de Velde (member since 2000, Department of Surgery)

Cock van de Velde played a pivotal role in several major groundbreaking studies that have significantly transformed the treatment of cancer patients. He extensively investigated surgery for gastric cancer and a new surgical technique for patients with rectal carcinoma. Additionally, he led numerous studies in the field of breast cancer.