Jolanda de Vries and Teun Bousema appointed member of KNAW

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has elected 22 new members, including Jolanda de Vries and Teun Bousema of Radboud university medical center. Maaike van Berkel of Radboud University is also appointed as new member. 

Academy members, leading researchers from across all the disciplines, are selected for their scientific and scholarly achievements. The Academy has about 600 members. Members are appointed for life. The new members will be installed on Monday 12 September 2022.

Teun Bousema

Teun Bousema, Professor of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, is dedicated to better understanding the spread of tropical infectious diseases such as malaria. Through years of field research in, for instance, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, he was able to show that most malaria infections are caused by patients who themselves have no symptoms and that malaria patients remain infectious for weeks after they have been treated. To address these problems, Bousema set up a successful study with drugs specifically designed to block infection. Bousema is also very active outside his field. For example, he co-produced a play about academic integrity and helps research institutes and science funders to make their work processes more sustainable.

Jolanda de Vries

Jolanda de Vries, Professor of Immunology, is committed to applying insights from fundamental biomedical research to patient care. She made an important contribution to a still experimental method of treatment in which cells from a patient's immune system are activated to fight cancer (immunotherapy). De Vries is a much sought-after speaker, she has set up exchange programmes for young scientists and has an excellent international network. This has enabled her to assemble a strong and diverse team around her, from which much is expected.