MUMC+ Prevention theme gets a NUTRIM impulse.
Five NUTRIM researchers Dorus Gevers, Dennis de Ruijter (Health Promotion), Michelle Weijzen (Human Biology), Marcel den Dulk (Surgery) and Brenda Berendsen (Human Movement Sciences) and their involved departments (chairs) received a research appointment for the research theme prevention in the Sector Plan Health. Again we wish them every success and will follow their work.
With these appointments, they are part of the 29 honored research talents that will boost prevention research within the MUMC+. Through tailormade approaches and cooperation, they will be given the task of promoting cross-fertilisation and community-formation around the theme of prevention and achieving the sector plan objectives. The researchers received a structural U(H)D appointment that offers the opportunity to profile this theme even more strongly and internationally.
Prevention (Jointly ensuring that people live longer healthy lives) is one of the three defined themes within the Sector Plan: "Accelerate on Health" as set out in the NFU agenda towards Sustainable health (NFU 2016)
Sector plans contribute to strengthening the research and education base. The government will annually invest structurally in the sector plans.
Detecting risks and disorders and intervening early, requires work force, education and a long-term investment in research. Prevention is a theme that pre-eminently requires an interdisciplinary approach. Structural resources for this important social domain are crucial. Better prevention, especially in the most vulnerable groups, also contributes to solutions for the growing challenges in healthcare due to the increasing number of people with chronic diseases, in a shrinking labour market. Now is the time to strengthen the foundation on prevention in the MUMCs so that, in cooperation with other parties in the region, nationally and internationally, they can be more effective in addressing the academic aspects in this vast and complex societal task.
Umc's do this as one of the links in the chain, together with many disciplines and parties and have a special role, as the academic engine in their region They make an important contribution to strengthening and innovating prevention. In this way, the MUMCs contribute to achieving the government's policy: 'In 2040, all Dutch people will live at least five years longer in good health and health disparities between the lowest and highest socio-economic groups have decreased by 30 per cent'. This is the mission developed by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) for the government's mission-driven top sectors and innovation policy.