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On November 12th, a succesful and well-attended Strategic Meeting was held regarding the split into two new research subthemes of LEGend. It took place in the LEVEL building across from the LUMC. Much valuable input was given on the important points under consideration. These were (1) how to name the subtheme on aging, as well as possibly rename LEGend as a theme , (2) what vision on research this subtheme should have and which topics should fit into [...]
LUMC Global has launched the new LUMC Global PhD Scholarship 2026. Deadline for applications is 09 March 2026.
This scheme fosters international collaboration and advances global health through innovative research. It supports three high-quality, new PhD projects, attracting outstanding candidates from lower- and middle-income countries.
This unique program enables fellows to conduct 3 to 6 months of research annually at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands, while completing the rest of their research in their home country.
It [...]
From June 11 to 13, 25 PhD candidates from the LCO (LUMC Center of Medicine for Older People) and 15 of their supervisors traveled to Egmond aan Zee to work on their dissertations and strengthen their connection with one another.
This was the second edition of the LCO writing retreat, as the first edition was held in 2024. This year, not only candidates in the final phase of their research were invited, but all LCO PhD students were welcome [...]
How do healthcare professionals collaborate effectively in long-term care (LTC) and geriatric rehabilitation (GR)? And how can this collaboration be measured? Researcher Arno Doornebosch and his team conducted a review study on this topic. They examined which factors facilitate or hinder collaboration, and which questionnaires or measurement tools are used to assess it.
The study identified three key themes:
How well the team works together How the organization is structured How information is sharedThere are already a few tools [...]
Following publications from a 33-country Delphi study on a definition of advance care planning in dementia, and on policy and research gaps, the core and final piece on clinical recommendations has now been published.
When, how and what to assess to optimize ACP in dementia: that’s what the paper is about. The optimal would be to address a full set of 30 elements of advance care planning, 25 of which to be addressed during every conversation or at [...]
From now on, LUMC staff members are allowed to openly share teaching materials under an (open) Creative Commons (CC) License. This is an essential and valuable step enabling the distribution, sharing, and reuse of learning materials.
This permission is part of the new employer copyright regulations of Leiden University. The Executive Board of the LUMC has decided to adopt these regulations too. These regulations pertain to various types of research and educational output.
For instance, it also states that publications [...]
The prestigious Dhole-Eddlestone Memorial Prize has been awarded to an Age and Ageing journal article examining the effects of discontinuing blood pressure treatments in older adults with dementia living in nursing homes. The prize is awarded annually to the most deserving medical research relating to the needs of older people, published in Age and Ageing, the scientific journal of the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) in the preceding year. The study was led by LEGend researchers Jonathan Bogaerts, Rosalinde Poortvliet, and [...]
LUMC will receive €50,000 from Open Science NL to establish Open Science quality indicators, prioritize them and be able to recognize and value science in a new way within LUMC.
Open ScienceOpen Science is about making science more accessible, inclusive, and reliable. LUMC sees Open Science as the way to make a greater scientific and societal impact. LUMC runs the Future@Work program, which includes the Academia in Motion (AiM) program. Open Science is a focus [...]
On January 27th, 2025, the first LEGend PhD Day symposium was held at the beautiful Academiegebouw in Leiden. It was an afternoon full of interesting talks and pitches related to its theme — From Womb to Wrinkles — and was received very positively. Interesting discussions were also held during three speeddating rounds in which people were paired with researchers from other departments to ask each other questions on their fields and careers. After the event, a nice borrel provided [...]
On Friday November 15th dr. Hanneke Smaling was awarded the Alzheimer Nederland Research Talent Award 2024, along with a grant of € 150.000,-. Alzheimer Nederland has appointed her as most talented Dutch dementia researcher, in the category 5 to 8 years post PhD.
Smaling investigates how technological interventions can improve quality of life of nursing home residents with dementia. For example, technology can reduce workload of healthcare professionals or improve personalized healthcare, like emotional intelligent robots. Through this award, Alzheimer [...]