Research Projects

Below are the 45 projects -- representing a grand total of 4M+ EUR in allocated research resources -- that have driven our research efforts over the years. Next to the 25 grants that were awarded, the TDS Lab has also been involved in 20 research collaborations on a payment-in-kind basis.

Funded research | Research collaborations

In progress [ Completed | ^ ]

2025-2029: UNCAN-Connect, 475K EUR (LIACS).

Decentralized Collaborative Network for Advancing Cancer Research and Innovation. HORIZON-RIA: HORIZON-MISS-2024-CANCER-01-01 (Research and Innovation actions supporting the implementation of the Mission on Cancer). Remarks: grant total: 30M EUR, 53 partners from 19 European and associated countries, comprising 6 SMEs, 3 LEs, 42 RTOs, 3 affiliated partners, and 1 NGO. Researcher(s): 1 PhD student, 1 postdoc. cordis.europa.eu

2025-2029: MULAMAQ, 300K EUR (LIACS).

Multimodal Language Markers for Perceived Quality-of-Life Assessment. InSPIRe 2025 (LIACS Initiative for Strategic PhD/Postdoc and Innovative Research). Remark: grant total: 300K EUR. Researcher(s): Ng,Y.M. easychair.org/inspire2025

2024-2026: ECOTIP, EUR 130K (LUMC).

Identifying tipping points of the effects of living environments on ecosyndemics of lifestyle-related illnesses by ML/NLP modelling of a patient segmentation model based on EHR and environmental data. Financer(s): NWO New Science Agenda (NWA-ORC). Applicant(s): Kiefte,J., Spruit,M., Vos,R., et al. Remark: NWO dossier NWA.1518.22.151; grant total: 4.4M EUR. Researcher(s): Muizelaar,H. www.nwo.nl/en/projects/nwa151822151

2024-2026: Phaeton, EUR 150K (LUMC) + EUR 50K (LIACS).

Pandemic preparedness. Portable platform as a service for crowdsourced and privacy respecting data analysis and modeling. Financer: ZonMW Modelleren voor Pandemische Paraatheid: een oproep tot innovatie en kennisontwikkeling SA 2023. Applicant(s): Bouwman,J., Haas,M., Spruit,M.. Remark: ZonMW dossier #10710062310030, grant total: 500K EUR. Researcher(s): Vinkenoog,M. universiteitleiden.nl/.../liacs-phaeton

2023-2026: INSAFEDARE, EUR 571K (LUMC).

Innovative applications of assessment and assurance of data and synthetic data for regulatory decision support. Generation and evaluation of a benchmarking synthetic dataset amenable to the regulatory process, analytical methods for validation of digital health applications, and components for data integration pipelines. Financer(s): Horizon Europe: HORIZON-HLTH-2022-TOOL-11-02: Tools and technologies for a healthy society. Applicant(s): Despotou,G. et al. Remark: HEU project #101095661; grant total: 4.8M EUR. Researcher(s): Achterberg,J. & Dijk,B. van 10.3030/101095661

2023-2025: HealthBox, EUR 66,000 (LUMC).

A personalized, home-based eHealth intervention to treat metabolic syndrome and prevent its complications by ML/NLP modelling of a patient segmentation model based on EHR and environmental data. Applicant(s): Chavannes,N., Atsma,D., Pijl,H., Vos,R., et al. Remark: grant total: 2.5M EUR. Researcher(s): Muizelaar,H. nwo.nl/en/projects/kich1gz0321007

Completed [ In progress | ^ ]

2025: GenAI4EU, 9K EUR (LUMC).

Grant proposal support for LUMC internal call 2025: Stimulating coordination of Horizon Europe - Health 2025 projects.

2021-2025: VIPP, EUR 60K (LUMC).

Virtual Patients and Population Dataset. Develop a synthetic ELAN dataset to improve teaching data science. Financer(s): LUMC Interprofessional Education (IPE) programme. Applicant(s): Spruit,M., & Szuhai,K. Remark: Project Raamplan Implementatie Artsopleiding (PRIMA) 2020 working group deliverable wrt Theme 5 on Big Data and AI. Researcher(s): Faiq,A. healthcampusdenhaag.nl/nl/project/ virtuele-patient-en-populatie-vipp-dataset/

2024-2025: EuroQoL-LLM, 1325 EUR (LUMC).

Applying Large Language Models to Identify EQ-5D Bolt-ons Based on Patient Text Data. Financer: EuroQol Group Seed grant: 1792-SG. Applicant: van den Akker-van Marle,E., Spruit,M., et al. Remark: Grant total: 42K EUR. Researcher(s): Heijdra Suasnabar,J. et al. euroqol.org/research-at-euroqol/ our-research-portfolio/funded-projects/

2023-2024: SENSYN, EUR 5K (LUMC).

Making sensitive data reusable through synthetic data generation, and implementation of FAIR principles in highly sensitive data areas. Financer(s): NWO Open Science Fund. Applicant(s): Liem,M., Spruit,M., et al. Remarks: NWO project OSF23.1.006; grant total: 50K EUR. Researcher(s): Haas,M. & Achterberg,J. www.nwo.nl/en/projects/osf231006

2020-2023: GEIGER, EUR 300K (ULEI, UU).

Geiger Cybersecurity Counter. A metric for assessing, monitoring, and forecasting risks and reducing these risks by improving SME security with well-curated SMESEC tools and an education program targeting practitioners-in-practice, facilitated by a cybersecurity knowledge graph. Financer(s): Horizon2020: SU-DS03-2019-2020: Digital Security and privacy for citizens and SMEs. Applicant(s): Fricker,S. et al. Remark: EU project 883588; grant total: 4.8M EUR. Researcher(s): Haastrecht,M. van, Sarhan,I., Shojaifar,A. 10.3030/883588

2020-2022: COVIDA, EUR 230K (UU).

Computing Visits Data for Dutch Natural Language Processing in Mental Healthcare. Financer(s): Utrecht-Eindhoven Alliance Fund. Applicant(s): Spruit,M., Scheepers,F., & Kaymak,U. et al. Remark: Grant total: 492K EUR. Researcher(s): Mosteiro,P., Rijcken,E. www.tue.nl/en/our-university/ about-the-university/university-alliances-networks/ challenging-future-generations/utrecht-eindhoven-alliance

2017-2020: OPTICA, EUR 22K (UU).

Optimising PharmacoTherapy In the multimorbid elderly in Primary CAre: a cluster randomised controlled trial. RCT to implement STRIPA 2.0 in Swiss daily GP practices. Financer(s): Research Plan NRP 74 Smarter Health Care Division IV, National Research Programmes (NRP), Switzerland. Applicant(s): Rodondi,N., Streit,S., Schwenkglenk,M., Trelle,S., Spruit,M., & Schilling,G.. Remark: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) project; grant total: 475K EUR. Researcher(s): Elloumi,L., Brinkhuis,E.

2017-2020: SMESEC: EUR 278K (UU).

Protecting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises digital technology through an innovative cyber-SECurity framework. Personalised maturity modelling for incremental organisational improvement in cybersecurity. Financer(s): H2020-DS-2016-2017: Secure societies - Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens. Applicant(s): Diaz,R. et al. Remark: EU project 740787; grant total: 5.6M EUR. Researcher(s): Yigit Ozkan,B., Shojaifar,A. 10.3030/740787

2015-2020: OPERAM, EUR 250K (UU).

OPtimising thERapy to prevent Avoidable hospital admissions in the Multimorbid elderly. Software Tool for Optimising Medication to run a RCT to evaluate STRIPA 2.0. Financer(s): PHC 17-2014: Comparing the effectiveness of existing healthcare interventions in the elderly. Applicant(s): Rodondi,N. et al. Remark: EU project 634238; grant total: 6.6M EUR. Researcher(s): Meulendijk,M., Shen,Z. 10.3030/634238

2015-2020: FeDerATE, EUR 200K (UU).

Fair Data and context ArchiTEcture. Data stewardship in research reproducibility and data analytics in omics domains. Financer(s): Utrecht University IT Services (UU-ITS), Utrecht Bioinformatics Centre (UBC). Researcher(s): Lefebvre,A.

2019-2020: INTERESTM, EUR 5K (UU).

A text mining approach to interest development. ADS Seed project on text mining of interest development descriptions of adolescents: Financer(s): UU focus area Applied Data Science. Applicant(s): Akkerman,S., Spruit,M. Researcher(s): Meer,T. van der.

2018-2019: STRIMP, EUR 112K (UU).

Implementatie van de STRIP Assistent ter verbetering van de STRIP medicatiebeoordeling. Integrate the STRIP Assistant within Dutch daily primary care. Financer(s): ZonMW/Goed Gebruik Geneesmiddelen - Stimulering Toepassing In de Praktijk (GGG - STIP Ronde 3). Applicant(s): Spruit,M., Wit,N. de, et al. Remark: grant total: 350K EUR. Researcher(s): Elloumi,L., Brinkhuis,E. projecten.zonmw.nl/nl/project/ strimp-implementatie-van-de-strip-assistent -ter-verbetering-van-de-strip

2015-2019: PRAISE, EUR 200K (UU).

Psychiatry Research Analytics InfraStructurE. Big Data Psychiatry Breakthrough programme towards predicting psychiatric conditions such as schizofrenia and autism through patient fingerprinting techniques enabled by an interorganisational information integration architecture. Financer(s): UMC Utrecht/Psychiatry. Researcher(s): Menger,V.

2011-2019: CESCA, EUR 170K (UU)

CEll SCreening Architecture & Analytics. Online platform for high content screening and cloud-based data analysis services for drug target discovery and validation, leads discovery and optimization, and the assessment of cellular toxicity. Financer(s): UMC Utrecht, UU-ICS. Researcher(s): Omta,W.

2014-2018: TAF21, EUR 200K (UU).

Text analytics for social science aspects of fisheries for the 21st century. Early Stage Researcher (ESR) 7 at Manchester University. Financer(s): MSCA-ITN-2014-ETN: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN). Applicant(s): Borit, M. et al. Remark: EU project 642080; grant total: 2.7M EUR. Researcher(s): Syed,S. 10.3030/642080

2010-2015: STRIPA, EUR 200K (UU).

STRIP Assistant. Systematic Tool to Reduce Inappropriate Prescribing (STRIP) Assistant is an online decision support platform integrated in GPISs to support general practitioners with optimising polypharmacy in elderly patients through periodical prescription reviews. Financer(s): Expertise centre Pharmacotherapy in Elderly (EPHOR), UU/ICS. Researcher(s):Meulendijk,M.

2010-2011: POMP, EUR 50K (UU).

Polypharmacy Optimisation Method Platform. Feasibility study on a knowledge platform to assist physicians, especially general practitioners, in optimising polypharmacy in elderly patients. Financer(s): Agentschap NL, Small Business Innovation Research programme (SBIR). Applicant(s): Spruit,M.

2015: CURP 1.1, EUR 5K (UU).

CURsus Planning app, Revision 1. Financer(s): Utrechts Stimuleringsfonds Onderwijs 2015. Applicant(s): Spruit,M. Researcher(s): Joosten,P. 10.1108/978-1-78973-627-420191010

2014: CURP, EUR 15K (UU).

Curriculum Planning app. Development of an interactive serious game to support collaborative curriculum course design for education management, staff and students. Financer(s): Utrechts Stimuleringsfonds Onderwijs. Applicant(s): Spruit,M. Researcher(s): Dompseler,H. van.

Research collaborations | Funded research

In progress [ Completed | ^ ]

2025-2026: When Stories Meet Algorithms (LIACS): 15K EUR.

Leiden University Global Fund (LUGF) Seed Fund. When Stories Meet Algorithms: Human–AI Collaboration for Culturally Embedded Qualitative Research. Applicants: N. Chavannes (LUMC), M. Spruit (LIACS), Y. Wu (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou). /leiden-university-global-fund/

2025-2026: Transdiagnostische versterking van de ELAN kennisinfrastructuur (LUMC).

ZonMW, Nationaal Plan Hoofdzaken: kennis en data beter delen SA 2024. PI: Giltay,Erik. Remark: Total grant total: 648K EUR. Deadline: 25/02/2025. url

2025: COACH (LIACS).

Conversational AI for Cancer reHabilitation. Develops a GenAI powered companion app for young people with cancer in collaboration with HealthyChronos. Financer: Kansen voor West fonds. Researcher(s): Y.M. Ng. /projecten-kansen-voor-west-iii/coach/

2025: Understanding Homicide in Indonesia (LIACS)

Leiden University Global Fund (LUGF) Seed Fund. Harnessing Traditional and New Media Data for Insight. Collaboration with Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Applicants: O. Bogolyubova, M. Liem (ISGA), M. Spruit. /leiden-university-global-fund/

2022-2026: PreProMMF (ULEI)

Natural Language Processing in Mental Health: Detection, Prediction and Promotion with Multilingual, Multimodal and Federated Techniques. Sponsor: Arab Academy of Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AAST). Financed as a 60% lecturer - 40% researcher contract. Researcher(s): Khalil,S.

2021-2025: Data2Bedside (LUMC)

Reusing routinely collected data from regional GP offices in ELAN to create a clinical decision support tool to identify disease progression risk levels in Type Two Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients. Sponsor: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia scholarship. Researcher(s): Alfaraj,S.

2021-2026: PHA (LUMC)

Population Health Analytics. Maturity modelling for situational data infrastructure and scenario planning towards appropriate regional intelligence. Sponsor: Q-Consult Zorg. Researcher(s): Roorda,E.

2018-2024: PbD (UU)

Privacy-by-Design. How organisations can demonstrate responsible data use in information systems through Privacy-by-Design. Sponsor: P&O Rijk. Researcher(s): Dijk,F. van

Completed [ In progress | ^ ]

2020-2024: ATS (ULEI)

A Telling Story. Mindreading with NLP. Sponsor: NWO; Applicant(s): Duijn, M. van. Researcher(s): Dijk,B. van

2022-2024: EDAsynth (ULEI)

Emergency Department Admissions Forecasting with Generative AI. Sponsor: Universidad de Alcalá. Researcher(s): Álvarez-Chavez,H.

2017-2023: SpeechAS (UU)

Real-time Speech and Text Analytic Systems for HR dialogue support. Sponsor: P&O Rijk. Researcher(s): Toledo,C. van

2018-2022: DEQUES (UU)

Deep learning for Query based Summarisation: Deep neural networks for exploratory summarisation. Sponsor: Arab Academy of Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AAST). Financed as a 60% lecturer - 40% researcher contract. Researcher(s): Sarhan.I.

2016-2021: BeHapp (UU)

Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers: the BeHapp mobile health analytics app to classify neuropsychiatric diseases to accelerate the discovery and development of better treatments for patients. Sponsor: Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) project; Applicant(s): Kas,M. Researcher(s): Jagesar,R.

2016-2020: TAILS (UU)

Text Analytics Innovations in Life Sciences: Natural Language Processing based innovations from both machine learning and computational linguistics perspectives to better understand their specific added values throughout the broad application domain of personalised medicine. Sponsor: Arab Academy of Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AAST). Financed as a 60% lecturer - 40% researcher contract. Researcher(s): Tawfik,N.

2017-2019: PsyADS (UU)

Applied data science in de psychiatrische praktijk. Strategic collaboration within the Compute Visits Data (COVIDA) consortium in this Implementation project. Financer(s): Kwaliteit van Zorg: Actieonderzoek Innovatieve Zorg. Applicant(s): Scheepers et al. Remark: grant total: 300K EUR.

2010-2018: DataSpace (UU)

Data Space architecture in the judicial domain. External PhD research on a Data Space architecture at the crossroads of Data Warehousing, Privacy Preservation, Semantic Web, and Data Quality. Sponsor: Research and Documentation Centre (WODC), Ministry of Security and Justice. Financed as a 80% business - 20% research contract. Researcher(s): Dijk, J. van

2015-2016: BeHapp (UU)

Using the smartphone to longitudinally monitor adolescent social behavior in real life. Financer(s): Utrecht University Strategic Theme Dynamics of Youth (DoY) 2015. Applicant(s): Kas,M. Remark: grant total: EUR 100K.

2013-2015: UBIL (UU)

Unified business intelligence language for vendor and technology independent BI-chain modeling through a data lineage framework. Sponsor: CSB-System Benelux BV, Kadenza BV. Financed as a 80% business - 20% research contract. Researcher(s): Otten,S.

2013-2014: SNiF, EUR 50K (UU).

Social Network Forensics. Inter-ethnic relations and ethnic identity of Dutch adolescents in offline and online networks based on the Linguistic Engineering for Business Intelligence (LEBI) framework. Financer(s): UU DoY 2014. Applicant(s): Corten,R. et al. Seed fund for UU strategic theme Dynamics of Youth.

2009-2012: SAM (UU)

How software product management (SPM) practices can be improved in a situational manner. Sponsor: Software quality group, Centric IT Solutions BV. Financed as a 60% business - 40% research contract. Researcher(s): Bekkers,W.