Amsterdam Movement Sciences

Grants given to young academics have a multi layered effect; they can bring innovative research results in the exact direction the institute is aiming for; they often bring new, multidisciplinary research collaboration, and can give young aspiring academics the push they want in their career.

Below are some testimonials from AMS laureates, which show what the AMS grants have brought them.

Britt van der Leeden on her 2025 AMS Talent grant

• Grant: Tissue Function & Regeneration Talent Grant
• Project: 3D Human-Based Burn-on-Chip – Exploring the Dynamic Interplay Between Skin, Vasculature, and Neutrophils
• Awarded Amount: €60,000

The talent grant Britt van der Leeden received, significantly enabled her progress in developing a3D human-based burn-on-chip model. This platform aims to uncover the dynamic interplay between skin, vasculature, and neutrophils, contributing to a deeper understanding of wound-healing processes with the long-term goal of improving surgical treatments and reducing scarring in burn patients.

With the additional time and support provided by the grant, Britt, together with Ibrahim Korkmaz, Sue Gibbs, Jonas Jäger, and Jasper Koning, conducted a pilot study using Alvéole’s Primo system, which enables precise hydrogel crosslinking and structuring of vasculature within the chip. The promising results from this pilot formed the basis of a new grant proposal, for which the team is currently awaiting the outcome.

More on Britt van der Leeden.

Arianne Gravesteijn on her 2025 AMS Talent grant

• Grant: AMS Ageing & Vitality Talent Grant
• Project: Beyond Neurodegeneration: The Role of Biological Aging and Deconditioning in Disability Progression in Multiple Sclerosis
• Awarded Amount: €24,563

Thanks to the AMS Ageing & Vitality Talent Grant, Arianne Gravesteijn gained the time and capacity to further develop her research on the role of biological aging and deconditioning in disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS).

The grant allowed her to conduct in-depth analyses of the Exercise PRO-MS study dataset. Over the past months, she and her team harmonized biomarkers, cleaned the data, and calculated several outcome measures. These analyses form the foundation for uncovering non-inflammatory mechanismsthat contribute to MS progression.

The project also strengthened collaborations with colleagues specializing in MS, rehabilitation, and biological aging,enriching both the current analyses and the design of future studies. Initial findings will serve as pilot data for a larger follow-up project exploring the interplay between neurodegeneration, biological aging, and physical (in)activity.

More on Arianne Gravesteijn.

Babette Mooijekind on her 2025 AMS Talent grant

• Grant: Rehabilitation & Development Talent Grant
• Project: Automating 3D Ultrasound Processing and Analysis to Advance Treatment Assessment in Children with Cerebral Palsy
• Awarded Amount:€10,000

In October 2025, Babette Mooijekind received the AMS Rehabilitation & Development Talent Grant for her project on advancing 3D ultrasound analysis to improve treatment assessment in children with cerebral palsy. Earlier pilot studies examined how gait-improving treatments affect muscle architecture and function, revealing intriguing results and substantial variability between children. To fully capture this diversity, a large clinical cohort is needed. With this grant, the team can begin integrating their measurements into routine clinical care, enabling research in a broader population.

A key challenge has been the time-consuming processing of ultrasound data. This project focuses on reducing that workload. An existing automated dynamic fascicle-tracking algorithm has already been implemented, and the coming period will be dedicated to refining and validating additional automated methods. This marks an essential step toward making 3D ultrasound feasible in everyday clinical practice.

More on Babette Mooijekind

Pim van Klij on his MSH 'Grant writing' grant in 2025

• Grant: Musculoskeletal Health Grant Writing Call
• Project: Hip and Groin Injuries in Female Football Players
• Awarded Amount: €10,000

The grant allowed Pim van Klij to focus on preparing a ZonMW VENI pre-application, as outlined in his proposal. Although positively evaluated, the application could not proceed to the next stage due to the high number of submissions. The process nevertheless provided valuable feedback that will help strengthen future submissions. As Pim notes, setbacks are part of academic life, and this experience has offered important lessons.

Following the VENI round, he shifted his focus to completing another major project: a review article for Nature Reviews Rheumatology, which has now been published, a significant milestone in his career.

Preparing the VENI application helped Pim clarify his current research profile and the direction he aims to develop in the coming years. He collaborated closely with colleagues from the Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Department and received extensive support from Amsterdam UMC Research Grant Support. For the Nature Review, the collaboration centered around colleagues from LaTrobe University in Melbourne, an IOC Research Center and longstanding partner in multiple projects.

Looking ahead, Pim and the team, including PhD candidates, bachelor’s and master’s students, continue to expand the hip & groin research line, with special attention to the female athlete. The AMS writing grant has contributed in several important ways to the further development of this research focus.

More on Pim van Klij.

Joep Suskens on his 2025 'Lab facilites' grant

• Grant: Tissue Function & Regeneration Lab Facilities and Travel Call
• Project: Access to Lab Facilities for CT Scans
• Awarded Amount: €6,300

Joep Suskens was given the opportunity to evaluate a non-invasive methodology to assess implant status in patient dogs. This method is based on joint space distance measurements, the distance between the humerus and ulna/radius, using in-house developed software (Articulus).

In collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University, a first-in-patient trial is currently underway involving nine medium-sized companion dogs diagnosed with elbow osteoarthritis. The AMS TF&RC funded CT imaging at three time points per patient: pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and six months post-intervention.

The injectable implant consists of a water-based supramolecular polymer that functions as a shock-absorbing cushion within the joint, showing strong potential for pain treatment in osteoarthritic joints. The implant may also help restore hydrodynamic pressure, creating an anabolic environment for chondrocytes and supporting the maintenance and regeneration of articular cartilage. This hypothesis will be explored by comparing joint space distance measurements before treatment and six months after intervention.

As data collection and processing are still ongoing, no conclusions can yet be drawn from the preliminary results. Nevertheless, the grant already contributed in the One Medicine concept (i.e. research that benefits both human and animal medicine). Future human trials will benefit from this research if the results are favorable, as it eliminates the need for

More on Joep Suskens.

AMS Laureates 2025