معرفی
Dr. Virissa Lenters is an Assistant Professor in environmental epidemiology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), affiliated with the Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Health & Toxicology, and the Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS). She investigates the health impacts of plastic and chemical pollution on maternal and child health, with a focus on disparities in exposure and resilience mechanisms. Her work is supported by national (ZonMW) and EU-funded projects, including the AURORA initiative addressing microplastic risks and the FREIA project studying endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Education: MSc and PhD in Epidemiology from Utrecht University (Registered Epidemiologist B).
Research Interests: Environmental health, planetary health, child health, exposome science, microplastics pollution, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. She contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and environmental sustainability.
Grants: Principal Investigator of the FLES project (€300k, 2023–2025) and co-applicant for AURORA (€6M, 2021–2026). Projects include PFAS exposure studies in lactating women (VU-Amsterdam UMC-RIVM collaboration).
Teaching: Courses include Gezondheid en Leven (Bachelor-level) and Epidemiology for Toxicologists (post-graduate). Holds a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).
Societal Engagement: Member of the Health Council of the Netherlands’ Subcommittee on Reproduction Toxic Substances since 2024. Media contributions include expert commentary on microplastics, pesticides, and air pollution.
Labs/Teams: Collaborates across disciplines in projects like AURORA and FLES, focusing on translational research and policy impact.
