Our research group is dedicated to advancing integrative medicine by investigating the complex interplay between psychiatric and somatic conditions—a field of growing social and clinical relevance. Up to 50% of hospital patients suffer from co-occurring physical and psychiatric conditions, which are linked to increased complications, prolonged recovery, and 2–4 times higher healthcare costs. We aim to optimize outcomes and prevent deterioration through transdisciplinary collaboration and the development of integrated care pathways that address medical, psychiatric, and contextual factors.
A central pillar of our work is Women’s Mental Health, with a focus on mood disorders in relation to reproductive health and during hormonally sensitive periods like the peripartum and perimenopause. We investigate biological and contextual mechanisms, identify at-risk women, and design sex-sensitive preventive strategies—also considering the transgenerational impact of maternal mental health on child development. Embedded in the Department of Psychiatry of Amsterdam UMC, OLVG and Amsterdam Public Health institute and together with patient organisations like MIND, we embrace a Team-Based Science approach and strive for value-based, preventive healthcare through innovation in hospital psychiatry.

Team members