I work as an epidemiologist/assistant professor at the following institutions:

1. University Medical Center Groningen, Department General Practice & Elderly Medicine, section Midwifery Science
2. Amsterdam UMC (location VUmc), Department Midwifery Science AVAG, Public Health and Research Institute
3. Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia)

I conduct research in the area of　the　Women's and Children's  Health Epidemiology. I examine the effect of (lifestyle) behavior, pregnancy and birth events on maternal and children's health. Therefore, I analyze large datasets of international population based data registries (e.g. Australian New South Wales linked data, Dutch Perinatal Data Registry, and GP registry data from networks from UMCG, Radboud UMC and MUMC and Nivel) and cohort data (i.e. Lifelines Next, Lifelines ROAHD, EUCAN-Connect). By analyzing these data, I aim to develop models to optimize the use of clinical resources and optimize maternal health and birth outcomes. The accompanying results will contribute to improve maternity care, by providing future maternal care in the right amount of care at the right time in the right way to childbearing women and their (unborn) babies.

Due to my expertise registry-based research, I am also involved as a projectleader/epidemiologist in several granted COVID-19 projects:  ZonMW COVID GP project, ZonMW Long COVID project and ZonMW GRIP3.

In all of my research projects, I collaborate intensively with different stakeholders: (inter)national multidisciplinary researchers, healthcare professionals and (pregnant) women. Especially the involvement of women  (with low SES) in the development of interventions to ensure an optimal implementation in daily care is important in my projects.