Science at Lowlands Music Festival with two Radboudumc research projects

For the first time since 2019, music festival Lowlands will take place again, on August 19, 20 and 21 in Biddinghuizen. This year there is also room for scientific research, at Lowlands Science. Radboudumc is active at the festival with two studies: "How resilient are you?" and "Dr. Borrel or Dr. Bob?"

At Lowlands Science, scientists, universities and researchers will conduct eleven brain-teasing investigations in which visitors can participate themselves. Lowlands Science is made possible by the National Science Agenda and organized by Lowlands, BKB and New Scientist.

The Radboudumc is slowly but surely becoming the purveyor of Lowlands Science. In the past, the Radboudumc was already well represented at Lowlands with research projects such as "More often sick in the winter", "Lowlands got Talent", "More or less pain with Muse", "Lowlands saves lives" and "What have you got in your pants?". This year Radboudumc presents two studies. They have been around for a while: because of the corona pandemic, the festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. 

Doctor Borrel or Doctor Bob. How do you operate after a few drinks?

Imagine this: you are an experienced surgeon enjoying a party - at Lowlands, for example! The evening begins and you've had a few beers. Then your colleague calls, he has to operate on someone in the neighbourhood and he needs your specialist experience. As a doctor, you are trained to always go to extremes for the patient, but wouldn't you do more harm than good after a few drinks?

'Zero is the norm!

The KNMG guideline states that all doctors working with patients should not be under the influence of alcohol. The Radboudumc agrees with this guideline: zero is the norm. But it may happen that doctors who are not on duty, and therefore in principle may drink a little, are called upon to assist in complicated emergency surgery. In that case, it is important to know that the surgeon's skills are not impaired by the alcohol. But we don't really know if that is the case! That's why this project, together with the Lowlands audience, will find out what the effect of alcohol is on the skills as a surgeon. In short: sober or with a drink: How do you operate?

The research team includes Sanne Botden, Bas Verhoeven, Maja Joosten Guus Bökkerink and Daan Verhoeven. Read more here (in Dutch).

How resilient are you?

The second study is conducted by a team from the Geriatrics Department, which will map the resilience of Lowlands visitors and find out which factors determine whether someone has more or less resilience. This will be done by means of stress and exhaustion tests, among other things.

Two tests
The expectation is that these two tests will be very suitable and simple measures of physical resilience. The Lowlands audience can help with that research. After all, Lowlands not only offers a fantastic experience, but can also be a temporary but considerable drain on the body and thus resilience. That effect is measured with these tests. Read more here (in Dutch). 

The research team includes Thea Zonneveld-Heil, René Melis, Rianne de Heus and Sanne Feiner.

Want to know more about the other participating studies? Then look here (in Dutch).

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