Huizen, North Holland, Netherlands
I am a neuro-anaesthesiologist, researcher, and sustainability leader working at the intersection of high-quality clinical care and planetary health. My mission is to help build a clinically excellent, evidence-based, and resilient healthcare system that contributes to a healthy future for all. My work aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). Through my research, I demonstrated that replacing inhaled anaesthetic agents with Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (TIVA) is safe, clinically effective, and reduces the carbon footprint of general anaesthesia by 80–99%. Starting at Amsterdam UMC, I led a national de-implementation effort in the Netherlands that resulted in a sustained, nationwide reduction in anaesthetic gas use—cutting emissions by approximately 11 kilotonnes of CO₂-equivalents over six years. This work provides a scalable blueprint for climate-smart anaesthesia without compromising patient care. I founded the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare at Amsterdam UMC, which I now co-lead as Scientific Director. Together with a growing team of researchers and implementation specialists, we bridge frontline clinical improvement with rigorous scientific evaluation. I currently supervise ten PhD candidates and mentor four postdoctoral researchers, with research spanning environmental impact assessment, behavioural change, methodological innovation, and international implementation studies. Beyond research, I contribute to national and international scientific leadership, policy advising, and education. I co-lead multiple sustainability networks, chair sustainability committees within Dutch (NVA) and European (ESAIC) professional societies, advise the Dutch Ministry of Health, and contribute to international green hospital initiatives. I also led the integration of Planetary Health into the medical curriculum, positioning Amsterdam UMC among global frontrunners in sustainable medical education. As a frequent speaker and media contributor, I am committed to translating science into action and accelerating the transition toward climate-smart healthcare.
In this EU-funded doctoral network, I supervise two PhD Candidates that do research on sustainability within the healthcare sector
SEVEN is the climate institute of the UvA. We interweave knowledge and research from all our 7 faculties to combat climate change and make vulnerable societies more resilient. https://seven.uva.nl/en
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare is dedicated to advancing sustainability across all facets of Amsterdam UMC. Our team oversees a vibrant sustainability community, which, as of January 2025, consists of over 65 'Green Teams' and an additional 4000 healthcare professionals. We are actively engaged in inspiring, facilitating, and guiding a select group of executives within the organization to navigate the journey towards sustainability within our institution. Our research efforts are focused on transforming the healthcare sector, emphasizing sustainability. We possess specialized expertise in quantifying the environmental footprint through Life Cycle Assessment and employ advanced systems science techniques like Causal Loop Diagrams to comprehensively map complex systems and pinpoint high-impact interventions. Furthermore, we actively involve patients to ensure their perspectives are integrated into the hospital's sustainability transition. Lastly, we are diligently working on incorporating Planetary Health principles into the curricula of our affiliated universities.