I am an associate professor with the Department of Epidemiology and Data Science at the Amsterdam UMC. I lead a research group focusing on environmental determinants of lifestyle behaviours and chronic disease risk in adults. We call ourselves 'the Upstream Team'. 

My research interests are in the environmental determinants of lifestyle behaviours and chronic disease risk, in particular how they can be measured, how they interact and how they can be changed through upstream approaches (e.g. policy). We use innovative methods to make sense of the wealth of individual- and environmental level data that we have available in the Netherlands and across Europe.

I obtained my PhD in 2011 with the thesis 'Efforts to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in primary care'. Before that I studied physiotherapy (University of Utrecht, finished 2002), Health science (VU University, finished 2004) and a two-year master Public Health Research (VU University, completed 2006).

As project leader I finished an NDF-funded research project focusing on the implementation of environmental changes to improve lifestyle behaviours in residents of underprivileged neighbourhoods. I coordinated SPOTLIGHT, an EU-FP7 funded project focusing on the sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies. This project involved a consortium of 13 partners across 8 European countries.

I co-managed the Determinants of diet and physical activity knowledge hub (DEDIPAC, funded by HDHL-JPI) which consisted of about 300 researchers from multiple disciplines, from 68 research institutes across 13 European countries. It facilitated the integration and development of an infrastructure for research on determinants of diet and physical activity.

From 2017-2023 we implemented a large national study on preventing cardiometabolic risk through nudging healthy eating and physical activity in supermarkets and through m-health (Supreme Nudge).

Since 2019 I am the PI of the cross-national Geohealth cohort consortium (GECCO), an infrastructure to support researchers to study the relation between environmental characteristics and health. We have gathered and operationalised many data on environmental exposures over many years, and enrich 23 large cohorts that are currently affiliated with GECCO. We also provide exposure data to researchers upon request.

Other projects we recently completed include the Policy Evaluation Network (PEN), a JPI similar to DEDIPAC but with a focus on identifying, benchmarking and evaluating policies related to dietary behaviours, physical activity and sedentary behaviours (www.jpi-pen.eu). I served as vice-coordinator of this network, for which a total funding amount of about 4M Euros was secured. 

I act as project leader in the large Exposome-NL network led by the University of Utrecht, where I have a part-time position. We also collaborate as partner in the H2020 project EXPANSE.

Recently we started the 10.5M Euro Horizon Europe- funded project OBCT (Obesity: Biological, socioCultural, and environmental risk Trajectories), to study and address obesity risk across the life course in various domains, with a specific focus to reduce socioeconomic inequalities of obesity. I act as coordinator in this project. 

Early 2024 the Horizon Europe- funded STAGE commenced, to study and address multimorbidity in elderly, where I will be work-package leader.