Myrte Thoolen

Myrte Thoolen is a Researcher at the Engaged Science research group within the Centre of Expertise Perspective in Health at Avans University of Applied Sciences and serves as Project Leader of the Health Innovation Atelier and GET-lab, driving human-centered innovation in health and well-being.

Her academic journey includes a Bachelor's in Communication and Multimedia Design from Avans (2015), a Master's in Industrial Design from Eindhoven University of Technology (2018), and a PhD in Industrial Design from Eindhoven University of Technology (2023). Her doctoral research pioneered participatory design methods for developing warm adaptive technology with people with dementia.

Her research centers on co-creation and design-driven healthcare innovation, emphasizing stakeholder collaboration to ensure solutions align with real-world needs. Key themes include social technology development, action learning, and participatory methods that bridge healthcare practices with end-user capabilities—particularly impactful in dementia care but transferable across health domains.

Through the Health Innovation Atelier, she creates ecosystems where academia, healthcare practitioners, and communities co-develop sustainable innovations. Her approach rejects technology designed for users in favor of solutions built with stakeholders, significantly improving adoption rates and practical efficacy in complex healthcare environments.