Dr. Kiefte-de Jong and Dr. Bosker, Assistant Professors at LUC, both awarded LUF Awards
Dr. Jessica Kiefte-de Jong and Dr. Thijs Bosker, both Assistant Professors at LUC, have been awarded by The Leiden University Fund (LUF).
LUF is committed to maintaining and enhancing the high quality of research and education at Leiden University by providing funds. These funds support extraordinary research by Leiden University employees.
Dietary patterns, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and colorectal cancer risk
Dr. Jessica Kiefte-de Jong, is an Assistant Professor in Global Public Health at LUC. Dr. Kiefte-de Jong was awarded the ‘Den Dulk- Moermans Fund’¸ a grant of € 25.000,- for a research project on dietary patterns, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and colorectal cancer. As such, Dr. Kiefte-de Jong is excited that she can continue with her research on the role of nutrition in the development of non-communicable diseases embedded in The Rotterdam Study, a population-based cohort study in The Netherlands. She also stated that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a major public health hazard and closely related to the current obesity epidemic which many countries face nowadays. It is, therefore, crucial to identify causes and consequences of this disease to improve future health of populations.
Microplastic: an emergent contaminant of global importance
Dr. Thijs Bosker, Assistant Professor in Environmental Science at LUC, received € 24.860 from the Gratama Stichting to conduct research on microplastics. Microplastics are small pieces of plastics which accumulate toxic contaminants and are found in large quantities in our environment. Previous research has shown that these small plastics can be taken up into the food chain, however little is known about their distribution and the potential impacts on organisms.
In collaboration with Dr. Paul Behrens (Assistant Professor at LUC) and Dr. Martina Vijver (Associate Professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) at Leiden University) he will determine levels of microplastics on beaches in the Netherlands and the Caribbean, as well as the potential toxicity to organisms. In addition they are working on a global community project, in which LUC students are collecting sand samples for across the globe (for more information see Global Microplastics Project).
LUC is proud and delighted that two members of its Faculty will get the opportunity to take their research projects, who are both in line with LUC’s focus on Global Challenges, to a higher level.
Congratulations Jessica and Thijs!