Welcome
Welcome to the website of our Paediatric Respiratory Infection & Immunity Group. Our translational research is focused on the mucosal immune system of the respiratory tract in vulnerable pediatric populations. Established through long-standing collaborations between The Netherlands, South Africa, and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, our group is dedicated to advancing paediatric respiratory health through a multidisciplinary approach.
As a paediatrician specialized in infectious diseases and immunology, I have the privilege of leading this dynamic group. Spending time in The Netherlands, South Africa, and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as both a clinician and researcher, I continuously gain invaluable insights into the diverse challenges facing paediatric respiratory health worldwide.
Our group‘s strength lies in our collective expertise and collaborative spirit. Together, we strive to bridge the gap between clinical practice and research, aiming to shape the future of paediatric healthcare for children with respiratory tract infections.
Explore our website to learn more about our group’s impact on patient care. We embrace unconventional ideas and have three mottos that are often repeated during our meetings:
- “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars” – Norman Vincent Peale
- “We should always explore the things that we are a little afraid of” – Andrea Ghez
- “The secret of getting ahead is getting started” – Mark Twain
If you share our passion for advancing paediatric respiratory health and wish to join us or collaborate, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards,
Lilly Verhagen
Meet the team
Our team brings together expertise from diverse backgrounds in biomedical sciences, clinical practice, practical application, and epidemiology. Operating from three locations – The Netherlands, South Africa, and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands – we are united by a common purpose: to improve outcomes for children with respiratory tract infections.
This geographical spread enables us to explore a broad range of factors influencing respiratory tract infection immunity, from nutrition and environmental impacts to ethnic disparities in susceptibility and immunological response. Our collaborative setup fosters knowledge-sharing and cross-cultural learning among team members, enhancing our collective understanding.
In addition, our three-country practice offers valuable opportunities for (PhD) students to engage in international exchanges, enriching their perspectives on paediatric respiratory health on a global scale.
News
Research group locations
I am primarily based at the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, where I spend 8/12 months per year. For four months each year, I work at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and St. Maarten Medical Centre, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
This tri-country practice is particularly meaningful as South Africa and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands share multi-ethnic populations and a high prevalence of respiratory infections.