On Thursday 17 September, the directors of the VU University Medical Center’s (VUmc) research institutes (EMGO+, CCA/V-ici, ICarvu, NCA and MOVE) met, joined by VUmc’s experts on data management, knowledge valorisation, research project management. The meeting was led and chaired by the Dean of VUmc, Prof. Wim Stalman, and supported by his staff.
VUmc has made impressive progress in its research accomplishments and output, for example illustrated by its 2nd place in the research rank order based on the ‘CWTS crown indicator’(i.e. a measure of the relative frequency of citations of international scientific research publications) of the Dutch university medical centers. However, this grown and now relative large research output should be supported by an adequate research infrastructure including data-management, biobanking, project management and control, as well as support for valorisation of the research findings.
At the September 17 meeting these issues were discussed and the different topics were further specified and each topic was adopted by one of the participants to translate in a concrete plan for development and inclusions in the upcoming management contracts. This developments should lead to a better basis and support for the continuous research efforts and developments of VUmc.
I pleaded myself to start regarding and treating the main VUmc cohort studies, such as the NESDA study on depression and anxiety disorders, the LASA study on aging and health issues, and the HOORN studies on determinants and effects of diabetes, as part of research infrastructure in stead of mere projects. These cohort studies ensure a continuous output in terms of high ranking and often cited research papers, and university funding for the basis data management and continuation of these studies increases the chances to multiply this initial investment by external acquisition.
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