Dear iCNS participants, 

Welcome to our second newsletter, highlighting some recent iCNS-related developments and celebrating the progress of our project. 

First off, we are excited to welcome Sabina van der Zanden as our new iCNS project coordinator and the new head of iCNS Project Management. She will be your main contact person from now on, and her earlier experience with the ICI gravitation program in Leiden is already proving to be invaluable. 

We are furthermore very pleased to welcome several new hires that started recently. It is great to see some collaborations starting to take shape across work packages, and, with more hires on the way, it is an inspiring start of the program. 

Also, we recently had our first meeting with the iCNS Strategic Board, where the Executive Board gathered with senior representatives, i.e. the deans or research directors, from each host institute/faculty of the consortium, who serve as ‘critical friends’ of iCNS and can help provide strategic advice. Following an introductory round and a short presentation by Paul and Inge on the main framework and ambitions of iCNS, we had a lively and constructive discussion with them on our aims, strategy, on how to further connect, promote more collaboration and ultimately embed iCNS for the future. 

We are furthermore preparing for our yearly iCNS consortium meeting on December 16th in Oegstgeest, and for the young researchers meeting in Amsterdam on October 24th.

As we continue on this journey together, we wish you all a lovely and relaxing break for now, and we look forward to the exciting developments ahead. 

Have a great summer!

Best regards, 

Inge Huitinga, Paul Lucassen & Mario van der Stelt 

Mark Your Calendars

iCNS Consortium Meeting - December 16th, Oegstgeest

Young Researchers Meeting - October 24th, Amsterdam

(PhD’s and Postdocs only)

New Additions to Our Team!

From left to right, top to bottom:

Tijn Vleeshouwer - PhD (UL)

Jessica Hoang - PhD (UL)

Eric Hoekstra - Data Manager (UMCG)

Maxime Boven - Project en Communicatiemedewerker (NIN)

Payam Safavi - Tissue Dissemination Officer & Research technician (NIN)

Sabina van der Zanden - Senior Project Manager (UvA)

Sabina van der Zanden: Reflections on Her First Days

I have a background in molecular cell biology and completed my PhD in the group of Jacques Neefjes in 2021. Since then, I worked as a postdoc and later as a senior scientist at LUMC, focusing on the development of anti-cancer drugs, particularly anthracyclines. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to both fundamental and clinical research.

During the past 2.5 years, I discovered a new passion—project management—while working for the NWO Gravitation program Institute for Chemical Immunology (ICI). I love working together with people from diverse backgrounds and creating structure in complex, multidisciplinary projects. At the same time, I appreciate being able to work independently and take ownership of the planning and organization. I also truly enjoy the interpersonal side—facilitating communication, supporting researchers, and helping everyone stay aligned.

What makes project management within a scientific consortium especially rewarding for me is the chance to stay close to the science. With my academic background, I find the content genuinely interesting and feel motivated by the idea that my work contributes—indirectly but meaningfully—to advancing scientific knowledge and improving treatments for various diseases.

At iCNS, I’ll be supporting our multidisciplinary research efforts at the exciting interface of chemistry and neuroscience. Over the past few weeks, I’ve received a very warm welcome from the UvA project management team and iCNS daily board. It’s been a great start, and I’m really looking forward to working with all of you to help achieve the goals of this inspiring consortium.

One quick note: my fresh start at iCNS will be briefly paused, as I’ll be going on maternity leave at the end of September. During that time, Ineke Brouwer—who has already been serving as interim project manager—will take over. I look forward to returning in January 2026 and continuing our work together.

Warm regards,

Sabina van der Zanden