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13 December 2025
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Bryce Benda

3 March 2023

How our immune system plays an unexpectedly big role in Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease takes place both in the brain and in the blood, with immune cells playing a vital role. That is what Lynn van Olst discovered during her PhD research, earning her a cum laude degree.
16 February 2023

Students nominate journalistic platform for Nobel Peace Prize

Professor Wolfgang Wagner and his students have nominated the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) for the Nobel Peace Prize. “Their investigative works are often overlooked as a contribution to peace.” Wagner specialises in conflict and peace studies, which…
30 January 2023

Psychological safety helps to enhance workplace performance

Management teams with high psychological safety perform better than teams where psychological safety is low, according to new research by VU Amsterdam external PhD student Elmira Nijhuis. While it has long been known that psychological safety and good work performance…
19 January 2023

‘When are we going to take over the university, for real?’

Activism is the only way to save the planet. That’s what the majority of participants in a debate on climate activism agreed on last Tuesday.
23 December 2022

Jolanda van der Velden’s mini hearts truly beat

Personalised medicine for heart patients would be an ultimate dream come true for many physicians. The miniature hearts Jolanda van der Velden is building at the Physiology Lab may make that dream a reality.
5 December 2022

Nominate your favourite colleague

Which support staff member is indispensable at VU Amsterdam and deserves an ode at the New Year’s Gala?  Whether it is a professor who just landed a big grant or a lecturer who wins the annual Teacher Talent Award: we…
3 November 2022

Mirjam van Praag steps down as President in September 2023

Mirjam van Praag will stop as president of the Executive Board as of September 2023. She wants to spend more time on her private life, science and entrepreneurship, says a message on the VU-website. Van Praag’s decision is striking, as…
13 October 2022

Brazilian Chief Dadá Borarí brings indigenous knowledge to VU Amsterdam

In his quest of stopping deforestation in the Amazon, the Brazilian indigenous Chief Dadá Borarí visited VU Amsterdam. And while VU researchers could help him reach his goal, maybe more importantly, Dadá and his entourage bring valuable indigenous knowledge to…
30 August 2022

Why communication scholars are concerned about open science

Communication scholars are concerned about the ramifications of open science. They fear additional workload, misuse of public data, and toxic masculinity. Although communication scientists support the goals of open science, an international study also reveals areas of concern. For the…
11 July 2022

Faculty of Science gets rid of controversial tenure track

The Faculty of Science of VU Amsterdam will discontinue the highly discussed tenure track system. Instead, it will implement a career track policy that assumes a permanent contract after 18 months.  In the faculty’s former tenure track system – which…
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