Why did fewer women suffer from osteoporosis in the past than today? And which aspects of a city make public spaces safe, accessible and comfortable for all residents? These two research questions will be explored in more detail thanks to an Impulse Grant from the Leiden University Fund.

Migraine attacks strike suddenly and can seriously limit people’s lives. People with migraine can experience an aura with flashes of light or coloured spots that affect their vision. They can also develop a pounding headache accompanied by severe nausea and even vomiting. More knowledge about lifestyle factors and triggers will help predict and prevent attacks. The aim is personalised treatment.

Growing numbers of young people with complex mental health problems are trapped in a vicious circle of despair. This seriously affects their future because they drop out of school, self-harm or, in the most extreme cases, die by suicide. Dr Laura Nooteboom and her team are researching how young experts by experience can help support their peers.

On Thursday 9 October, a signing ceremony was held in the Alumni Room of the Academy Building for the Waaldijk Orientation Fund. With the signing of the agreement, the creation of this new fund was formally confirmed.

One used 3D cell models to study colorectal cancer, while the other used machine learning for more efficient blood donation. For these achievements, Marieke Vinkenoog and Simon Christian Hansmann were awarded the Krijn Rietveld Memorial Innovation Award on Tuesday 2 September.

Our annual project grant round this year attracted unprecedented interest: we received an impressive 107 applications – a marked increase compared with last year. Behind each application is a Leiden researcher with a special story. We spoke to three researchers who were granted an award and can now carry out their plans.

They didn’t study at Leiden University, but Patrice Gerlach and Ellen Reuter have still chosen to leave a legacy to the LUF. A journey through Cambodia made them realise just how much of an impact education can have on the well-being of an entire family.

With support from the LUF International Study Fund (LISF), Janset Nil Genç spent three months conducting research in Turkey. ‘This grant meant I could do my first fieldwork and develop as an academic.’

Thanks to medical innovations, more children are recovering from serious interventions such as heart surgery or stem cell transplants. A remarkable achievement, but for eight out of ten children and their families this has a lasting medical and psychosocial effect. Paediatric haematologist Anne de Pagter and paediatric cardiologist Arno Roest want to research how support for these children and their families can be improved.

Femicide is a serious issue in the Netherlands: around 40 women are murdered each year. Yet the circumstances surrounding these deaths are not recorded. To change that, Marieke Liem, Professor of Security and Interventions, launched the Femicide Monitor. ‘To develop effective interventions, we need to understand what’s really happening.’