With increasing age, people’s cognitive skills decline. How fast this occurs, differs among people and depends on a variety of factors. Whether having autism is a risk-factor for accelerated aging or a potential protective factor is unknown. In this project this will be tested and influential factors will be determined.

This research project explores how Sinophone digital art imagines the technologically mediated future. It focuses on four key themes: online exhibitions in times of crisis, technological embodiment, the platformization of self-care, and (non-)anthropocentric AI. The study adopts a cultural analysis approach supported by art historical and ethnographic methods, and a theoretical framework constituted by the concepts Sinophone, worlding, and Sinofuturism. The findings reveal that Sinophone digital art imagines the technologically mediated future as locally specific yes not locally determined, as intertwined with the present, and as reflective of the intricate and nuanced realities of everyday life.

In the Netherlands, approximately 1 million children (0-25 years) have a chronic disease. Above and beyond the ever-present challenges of growing up with an illness, these children have 40% chance to develop psychological problems, including depression, anxiety and loneliness. Throughout their life, this translates into decreased well-being and reduced social participation and generates additional costs for society. Early prevention of psychological problems is thus key to break this vicious cycle. Therefore, eHealth applications are promising. However, scientific knowledge is missing and validated tools are not yet available for this group and involved health care professionals. Our mission is to make scientifically validated eHealth tools that allow personalized and trans-diagnostic prevention of psychological problems widely available for this highly vulnerable group of chronically ill children and future adults, through an accessible, user-friendly, safe, and sustainable platform. To succeed in this mission, we present an iterative learning cycle approach in two four-year phases during which we gather the insights, and develop, evaluate, and implement the much needed eHealth tools: I. Development: Distil and validate the theoretical and game-design factors that make eHealth effective for chronically ill children. II. Evaluation: Evaluate trans-diagnostic and personalized eHealth tools for chronically ill children, using and developing state-of-the-art methods. III. Implementation: Study and remove the barriers that currently hinder implementation and uptake, and threaten availability of eHealth applications for chronically ill children. Our eHealth junior consortium includes (applied) researchers, pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, patient organizations, knowledge centers, game designers, industrial designers, insurance companies, and business professionals. We will collaborate with the end-users (children, families, and professionals) in order to achieve both international scientific breakthroughs and optimal clinical and societal impact. Knowledge utilization is a crucial part of our project.

The evolution of rapid auxin signalling pathway In plants, the hormone auxin can trigger fast cellular responses. These respones are evolutionary conserved, yet little is known about how they are generated. This project will compare fast auxin responses in distinct plant species using genetics and biochemistry to identify the key components that generate these responses.

Our food environment is very unhealthy. So far, individual measures have not been sufficient to make this environment healthier. One major challenge is that the profitability of unhealthy products is deeply ingrained in our economic system. Transition theory suggests that to overcome this, we must first create a shared vision and mission: what does a healthy, economically viable food environment look like? In this project, we apply transition theory to develop a vision, together with stakeholders in the supermarket chain and consumer organizations, for a supermarket revenue model that also promotes public health.