Our mission
ACH brings together diverse cohort studies, 24 in total and counting. Our cohorts represent the rich demographic reality of Amsterdam, from children and families to older adults and high-risk groups. By capturing demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic factors, ACH data enables deeper insights into public health challenges and solutions. Our mission is to:
- Strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange among cohorts.
- Build sustainable data infrastructure and FAIR procedures.
- Support researchers with expert services in data, ethics, ICT, and methods.
- Promote responsible data reuse through our data catalogue and harmonized access.
- Enhance visibility, impact, and funding opportunities for cohort research.
- Develop national and international partnerships to accelerate innovation.
We don’t just support cohort research, we help make it more effective and future-proof.
ACH is part of Cohorten Hubs Nederland (CHN), collaborating with other UMCs and partners such as Health-RI and the Netherlands Cohorts Consortium.
ACH promo video
Roadmap
ACH strengthens cohort research through three pillars: infrastructure, cohort support, and research & collaboration. We provide shared services for biobanks, data management, ICT, and ethics to reduce bureaucracy and let researchers focus on science. Our shared data catalogue, linked to national initiatives, ensures FAIR and reusable data. By connecting diverse populations and partnering with policy makers, ACH turns research into action for healthier lives.
Download roadmap: (link to PDF)
Organization
The ACH community
ACH is coordinated by a steering committee, supported by thematic working groups and active communities of researchers and data experts. Together, we build connections across studies, institutions, and disciplines.
ACH members
Agyemang, Charles – RODAM – PI
Ancion, Lauren – RDM – Datamanager
Balt, Elias – 113/PSA – Data manager
Begeer, Sander – NAR – PI
Berntzen, Bram – HOORN – Researcher
Beune, Erik – RODAM – Researcher
Blom, Marieke – HOORN / HOORN DCS – Coordinator
Boender, Sonia – ACS – Researcher
Boer, Casper de – ADC – Datamanager / Researcher
Booij, Marjolein – ACS – Coordinator
Bosch, Jos – NMCB – PI
Brouwer, Cyrina – NTR – Fieldworker
Chilunga, Felix – RODAM – Researcher
Cornet, Ronald – KIK – Researcher
Dieduksman, Sara – ABCD/HELIUS – Datamanager
Düren, Tessa – RDM – Researcher
Eekelen, Rik van – EDS – Researcher
Eikelenboom, Merijn – NESDA – Coordinator / Researcher
Ersan, Ertan – ACS – Datamanager
Fredriksen, Kelly – LASA – Researcher
Gassama, Awa – ANHA – Datamanager / Researcher
Groeneveld, Lenka – HOORN – Fieldworker
Groot, Rowdy de – KIK – Data steward
Haaster, Aimée-Claire van – LASA – Datamanager
Harms, Peter – HOORN – Researcher
Heijne, Janneke – ACS – PI
Hemkes, Scarlet – 113/PSA – Communication officer
Hoek, Lia van der – ACS – Researcher
Horsfall, Melany – NESDA – Fieldworker / Researcher
Jagt, Alex van der – NAR – Datamanager / Coordinator
Jansen, Femke – NET-QUBIC – PI
Jansen, Lotte – NL-SH – Fieldworker / Coordinator
Jertberg, Robert – NAR – Researcher
Jonkman, Kim – NAR – Coordinator
Kersloot, Martijn – KIK – Researcher
Killestein, Joep – MS – PI
Klooker, Tamira – ENIGI – Researcher
Koopman, Anitra – HELIUS – Fieldworker / Coordinator
Kootstra, Neeltje – ACS – Researcher
Kramer, Sophia – NL-SH – PI
Krikeb, Jonathan – MS – Researcher
Lamers, Femke – NESDA – Researcher
Leeuwis, Franca – Generations2 – Coordinator
Leeuwis, Franca – In Kaart – PI
Lieshout, Noekie van – ABCD – Coordinator
Ligthart, Lannie – NTR – Datamanager
Loenen, Vincent van – NAR – Ambassador
Loo, Bob van de – LASA – Data steward
Loomans, Dominique – ACS – Datamanager
Lunansky, Gaby – LASA – Researcher
Maarsingh, Otto – ANHA – Researcher
Marleen Horst, van der – LASA – Coordinator
Molenaar, Tom – NAR – Communication officer
Mossel, Roland van – HOORN – Datamanager / Researcher
Mudie, Kate – NMCB – Researcher
Mueller, Fabiola – ABCD – Researcher
Olislagers, Quint – ABCD/HELIUS – Data steward / Researcher
Oosterman, Mirjam – Generations2 – PI
Oppen, Patricia van – NOCDA – PI
Paijens, Samantha – ANHA – Coordinator
Pelt, Dirk – NTR – Researcher
Peyrot, Wouter – NESDA – Researcher
Plijner, Lucca – LASA – Fieldworker
Poppelaars, Jan – NMCB – Datamanager
Qi, Yuwei – ACH centraal – Researcher
Remmelzwaal, Sharon – RDM – Researcher
Reus, Lianne – ADC – Researcher
Rhebergen, Didi – NESDO – PI
Riemsma, Sanne – NESDA – Datamanager
Rutters, Femke – HOORN – PI
Schijndel, Ronald van – RDM – Datamanager
Schoor, Natasja van – LASA – Researcher
Schuengel, Carlo – In Kaart – PI
Schutte, Pieter Bas – In Kaart – Datamanager
Spaan, Mandy – OMEGA – Researcher
Staphorsius, Mieke – ENIGI – Datamanager
Strijbis, Eva – MS – Coordinator
Stronks, Karien – HELIUS – PI
Twait, Emma – ACH centraal – Researcher
Valk, Marc van der – ACS – Researcher
Verdonck, Irma – NET-QUBIC – PI
Viegas Calçada, Dulce – NESDA – Datamanager
Visser, Marlies – ABCD – Researcher
Visser, Gerben Rienk – ADC/MS – Datamanager
Vlainic, Elize – RDM – Data steward
Vrijkotte, Tanja – ABCD – PI
Vrinzen, Stefan – 113/PSA – Datamanager
Wier, Marieke van – NL-SH – Coordinator
Wissen, Manja van – ACS – Coordinator
Zandbelt, Tim – NESDA – Datamanager
Zhang, Shuxin – NMCB – Datamanager
Zwan, Esi van der – HELIUS – Datamanager
Management team
- Cécile Boot (interim director)
- Emiel Hoogendijk (project manager)
- GeertjeMarije Takkenberg (communications manager)
Steering committee
- Meike Bartels
- Joline Beulens
- Cécile Boot (interim director)
- Henrike Galenkamp- van der Ploeg
- Mirjam Geerlings
- Martin den Heijer
- Martijn Huisman
- Brenda Penninx
- Rudy Scholte
- Betty Tijms
Advisory board
An Advisory Board will convene three times a year to support us with advice and this will provide an opportunity to collaborate. The following esteemed (inter)national colleagues, who have experience with similar efforts such as consortia, take place in our Board:
- Professor Louise Arsenault, King's College London & Landscaping International Longitudinal Datasets project
- Dr Tom Emery, Erasmus University Rotterdam & ODISSEI
- Professor Laura Fratiglioni, Karolinska Institutet & NEAR
- Professor Arfan Ikram, Erasmus Medical Center & ZonMW
- Professor Miranda Schram, Maastricht UMC+ & Netherlands Cohort Consortium
- Dr Ruben Kok, Health-RI & Dutch Techcentre for Life Sciences
- Professor Jennifer Symond, University College London & CLOSER
- Professor Wim Timens, UMCG Cohort and Biobank Coordination Hub
- Professor Elio Riboli, Imperial College London & European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
Participating Studies
Cohort studies teaming up under the ACH umbrella
ACH unites a wide range of health-related cohort studies that collect data from citizens and patients in Amsterdam and beyond. Each study has its own unique focus and strengths, contributing to a shared resource for public health research.
See all ACH cohorts on our ACH cohort webpage.
Partnerships
We collaborate with national and international initiatives to align data standards and share best practices, including Nederlandse Cohorten Hubs (NCH), Nederlands Cohort Consortium (NCC), Health-RI, Cohort and Biobank Coordination Hub (CBCH)Cohort and Biobank Coordination Hub (CBCH, and Closer. These partnerships help broaden the reach and impact of Amsterdam’s cohort research.
Contact us
Interested in learning more or joining ACH? Mail us: cohorthub@amsterdamumc.nl.