IHS-Health Sciences

The Institute of Health Sciences was founded in 2003 to support the Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science programs started in 2002 at the VU University Amsterdam.  

These programs have now been fully developed with an influx of between 150 and 200 new students starting every year. The programs are good examples of an academic training at the crossroads of many disciplines. Tuition and research are provided by academic staff of the Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, the Faculty of Psychology and Education, and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.

The research program of the Institute for Health Sciences has been established in close collaboration with the Institute for Extramural Research (EMGO Institute) of the VU University Medical Center.

The Institutes’ activities are devoted to public health. The definition of public health we use is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, public and private, communities and individuals”.

The institute has the following structure:
 
Director of the Institute: Prof.Dr.Ir. Jaap C. Seidell
Management Assistant: Heleen Heijstee, MSc
Coordinator Master programme: Dr. Marianne Donker,  and  Dr. Marcel Adriaanse
 
There are five departments:

Department of Nutrition and Health
head: Prof.Dr.Ir. Marjolein Visser 
 
Department of Nutrition Health  
   
Department of Methodology and Applied Biostatistics;
head: Prof.Dr. Jos W.R. Twisk 
 
Methodology and Applied Biostat  
  
Department of Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment;
head: Prof.Dr. M.W. van Tulder 
 
Health Econ Health Techn Assessm  
  
Department of Prevention and Public Health;
head: Dr. Ingrid H.M. Steenhuis 
 
Department Prevention and Public Health  
  
Department of Infectious Diseases;
head: Dr. Katja Polman,  (under construction) 
 
Dept of Infectious Diseases  

Department of Health and Life Sciences;
Director: Prof.Dr. M. van Eck van der Sluijs-van de Bor
(responsible for the BSc programme of Health and Life Sciences)

Dept of Health and Life Sciences

Address:
VU University Amsterdam
Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences
De Boelelaan 1085
1081 HV  Amsterdam
The Netherlands

More information can be found by clicking on the name of the department of your interest in the menu above.