Stress-NL is a consortium of stress researchers in the Netherlands

Mission

The stress system is ubiquitous in all species and is essential to adapt to a changing environment. Its relevance for humans and animals can therefore not be overestimated. Excessive or prolonged stress exposure increases the risk for a wide variety of mental and physical symptoms. Our current understanding of the stress system and variability in outcomes after stress exposure is limited. The Stress-NL consortium envisions that combining forces between researchers across the Netherlands ranging from preclinical to clinical stress research is needed to advance our knowledge and the stress field as a whole. The Stress-NL consortium aims to change the current way of performing stress studies, by combining knowledge, efforts, and sharing data, but also joining efforts to emphasize the importance of fundamental and applied stress research to funding agencies, the government and the general public.

 

The Stress-NL foundation is supported by a project grant from the Young Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences,
and by the ‘Interdisciplinair Genootschap voor Biologische Psychiatrie’.

1

Provide a platform for interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge about stress research conducted within molecular, cellular, systems, behavioral, and clinical neurosciences across the Netherlands.

2

Provide a platform for exchange and integration of data to enable larger (meta) analyses of data acquired across multiple sites and research groups.

3

Provide a platform that can promote stress research toward stakeholders at national and European levels and beyond (grant agencies, charity foundations, etc.) as a focus area that is historically particularly strong within the Netherlands.

4

Provide a platform that can raise public awareness, knowledge, and trust of scientific research into stress and stress-related disorders

Annual Stress-nl meeting

Stress-NL meeting 2024

The 5th annual symposium has take place on January 25, 2024 at basis voor actuele kunst, BAK, in Utrecht. The topic of this year’s symposium was “Building Bridges: Highlighting Stress Research from an Interdisciplinary Perspective”.

The day had have three interactive sessions that consisted of several high-quality early-career pitches and an introductory talk by one of our main speakers (Dr. Willem Frankenhuis, Dr. Eiko Fried and Prof. Judith Homberg) followed by an interactive discussion. Furthermore, awardees Dr. Milou Sep (Marian Joëls Young Investigator award) and Prof. Sonia Lupien (Ron de Kloet Senior Investigator award) have inspired us by presenting their valuable insights from their careers. The social and “Meet the Expert” sessions provided opportunity to all for building their bridges.

On behalf of the board of Stress-NL and the organizing committee, we would like to thank all speakers and attendees again for a great and inspiring symposium.

Hope to see you again in 2025 for the 6th annual Stress-NL symposium!

Stress-NL meeting 2019

The 2019 Stress-NL meeting was held in the Trippenhuis in Amsterdam. A beautiful location to discuss collaborations and future plans. This year’s meeting focussed on new projects and developments, with contributions from young talents (symposium 1) and more established (symposium 2/3) scientists, including:

Rianne de Kleine, Lynn Boschloo, Jan Kroon, Conny Quaedflieg, Marie-José van Tol, Boudewijn Lelieveldt, Benno Roozendaal, Erno Hermans, Carolina de Weerth

Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Binder (Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, München) received the Ron de Kloet award and gave an award lecture: “Genes and environment – convergent pathways?”

In the coming year we will keep on pursuing our mission of combining forces between stress researchers in The Netherlands. If you have any suggestions, ideas or wish to help us in our mission, please contact us. You can join our Mailing list or follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on future events.

We hope to see you next year for the 2020 Stress-NL symposium.

Stress-NL meeting 2022

The 4th annual symposium of Stress-NL took place on July 7, 2022, in Utrecht. The Stress-NL symposium was back after a gap of three years, and we are excited to have brought you an inspiring day covering past, present and future of stress research in the Netherlands.

Hightlights of this day included our keynote speaker and winner of this year’s Ron de Kloet award for excellent career contributions to stress research Prof. Dr. Stafford Lightman from the University of Bristol, who presented about rhythmic activation of endocrine response systems. Furthermore, Valeria Bonapersona, Anna Kuranova, Saskia Koch and Niek Brosens presented their published work from the past. Future prospects about recently funded projects were presented by Frank Meye and Sinan Gülöksüz. The talent of the moment included a series high-quality early-career pitches. Also, interaction was encouraged during our “speed dating for Science” lunch session and over a drink at the end of the day. Thanks to all participants that have contributed to this great day!

In the coming year we will keep on pursuing our mission of combining forces between stress researchers in The Netherlands. If you have any suggestions, ideas or wish to help us in our mission, please contact us. You can join our Mailing list or follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on future events.

We hope to see you next year for the Stress-NL symposium.

Stress-NL meeting 2018

The Stress-NL meeting of 2018 is over – what a great turnout we had.

This year the meeting was split into three symposia: ‘How to improve human stress measures in daily life’, ‘Stress as a translational concept: molecular and animal models’, and ‘New developments in the stress field’. In between the symposia, there was ample time to interact and discuss collaborations and future plans.

The short talks from speakers from all over The Netherlands illustrated the broad range of stress research that we are doing in the Netherlands. This year’s speakers were:

Mirjam van Zuiden, Frank Meye, Louk Vanderschuren, Eco de Geus, Angela Sarabdjitsingh, Alberto Pereira, Ahmed Mahfouz, Eva Naninck, Aniko Korosi, Sanne Booij, Wessel Kraaij, Judith Homberg, Manon Benders.

In addition, Prof. Carmen Sandi joined us all the way from Switzerland, to receive the first ever Ron de Kloet Award and give a talk on ‘Stress and the individual’.

In the coming year we will keep on pursuing our mission of combining forces between stress researchers in The Netherlands. If you have any suggestions, ideas or wish to help us in our mission, please contact us. You can join our Mailing list or follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on future events.

We hope to see you next year for the Stress-NL meeting of 2019!

SUCCESSFUL KICKOFF MEETING STRESS-NL 2017

The first Stress-NL consortium meeting on November 2nd  2017 was a great success. We look back at a fruitful and constructive meeting, and it was very clear that there is an outstanding Dutch research line on stress with a variety of angles and approaches.

 

Labs

The Ron de Kloet award for Stress Research

The Ron de Kloet award for Stress Research is given to an international researcher who has made outstanding contributions to our understanding of stress in adaptation, resilience and vulnerability for disease. Recipients can be either basic or clinical researchers. The prize is organized by Stress-NL. Candidates can be nominated via its executive board – decisions are made by consultation of the advisory board. The award is sponsored by Corcept Therapeutics. It is handed out annually at the Stress-NL meeting, where the awardee delivers a lecture on the topic of stress.

  • Ron de Kloet award 2019

    Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Binder

  • Ron de Kloet award 2018

    Prof. Dr. Carmen Sandi

STRESS-NL foundation

Executive board

Prof. Christiaan Vinkers
Prof. Christiaan Vinkers
Amsterdam UMC
Prof. Erno Hermans
Prof. Erno Hermans
Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen & Donders Institute
Prof. Liesbeth van Rossum
Prof. Liesbeth van Rossum
Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam
Prof. Anne-Laura van Harmelen
Prof. Anne-Laura van Harmelen
Leiden University
Dr. Conny Quaedflieg
Dr. Conny Quaedflieg
Maastricht University
Dr. Joram Mul
Dr. Joram Mul
University of Amsterdam

Advisory board

Prof. Marian Joëls
University Medical Center Utrecht
University Medical Center Groningen

Prof. Ron de Kloet
Leiden University Medical Center

Prof. Guillén Fernández
Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen & Donders Institute

Prof. Benno Roozendaal
Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen & Donders Institute

Prof. Karin Roelofs
Radboud University Nijmegen & Donders Institute

Prof. Andrea Evers
Leiden University

Prof. Bernet Elzinga
Leiden University

Prof. Paul Lucassen
University of Amsterdam

Prof. Eric Vermetten
Leiden University Medical Center

Prof. Lenneke Alink
Leiden University

Prof. Manon Hillegers
University Medical Center Utrecht

Prof. Marinus van IJzendoorn
Erasmus University Rotterdam

Prof. Onno Meijer
Leiden University Medical Center

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