Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious diseases

On March 15, AI&I researchers will lace up their running shoes for the Amstelveen Spring Marathon, raising funds for research into Post-Acute Infection Syndromes (PAIS). Every donation supports innovative projects to improve diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for PAIS patients. Support PAIS research, donate today!

Meet the Runner: Joppe Hovius

My name is Joppe Hovius. I work in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, and at the Center for Infection and Molecular Medicine (CIMM) at Amsterdam UMC. I am also the Director of the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology & Infectious diseases (AI&I). During the Run for Their Lives event, I will be running at least 10 kilometres.

Why I Run

In my daily clinical work, I care for patients with post-infectious syndromes, including persistent symptoms after Lyme disease. I see firsthand how profound and life-altering these conditions can be, for patients and their families. Participating in this run is a way to draw attention to their situation and to help advance research that is urgently needed.

Personal Motivation

Within AI&I, we have an extraordinary amount of interdisciplinary expertise on post-acute infection syndromes and already several promising scientific leads. I truly believe that if we bring together the right people and encourage out-of-the-box ideas, we can push the field forward. With this AI&I PAIS fundraising marathon, my hope is that we can fund at least one additional €20,000 collaborative research grant. As an extra incentive, the AI&I directors have decided to double all funds raised, which makes every contribution even more impactful.

Why More PAIS Research Is Needed

The scale of PAIS is unprecedented. At the same time, many promising research directions risk being abandoned because government funding has largely ceased. Without continued research, patients are left without answers, diagnostics or effective treatments.

Goals for the Fundraising Campaign

The immediate goal is to support additional collaborative research. More broadly, I hope that, as an AI&I community, we can contribute to better understanding of the (immune) pathogenesis of PAIS, the development of long-awaited diagnostic tools, and ultimately better treatments for patients.

Marathon Preparation

At the moment, it is still very much one of my New Year’s resolutions. I clearly need to get started!

A Word of Thanks

I would like to sincerely thank all AI&I researchers and clinicians who are participating in this fundraising event, as well as everyone who has donated so generously. Your support truly makes a difference.