'Nearly one in five workers face disrupted sleep and health risk - protecting shift workers is key to a healthier, sustainable 24/7 society’

Heidi Lammers van der Holst is an Assistant Professor at Erasmus MC,  where she leads the research line Shift Work, Sleep, and Circadian Health and co-lead the Occupational Health Research Group within the Prevention & Equity Program of Public Health. She is a board member of the Working Time Society, where she contributes actively to the international research community. Furthermore, she coordinates the Women’s Health Taskforce, reinforcing her commitment to equity, diversity, and societal impact.

She is recognized as an international expert in Shift Work research, interdisciplinary work  where she integrates Sleep Medicine, Human Chronobiology, and Occupational Health. Her academic career began at Stanford University and continues through her ongoing collaboration with Harvard Medical School. Her team investigates the biological mechanisms of circadian disruption, using biomarkers to understand why individuals tolerate shift work differently. By considering diversity factors such as sex, age, and lifestyle, we work toward personalized interventions that support both health and performance in the workforce.

She has a strong research focus on advancing Women’s health in relation to shift work, as well as designing preventive strategies, at both organizational and individual levels, for a broad range of occupational groups.

For example, within the national BIOCLOCK consortium, a personalized sleep and nutrition intervention was developed. Within the European Horizon project SHIFT2HEALTH as PI she focuses on combined lifestyle intervention for those at high risk of obesity due to circadian disruption.

Heidi is a scientist, educator, science communicator, author, and public speaker, with over 20 years of experience in applied research, teaching, and consultancy.  Altogether, her work bridges fundamental science with practical solutions, supporting shift workers is vital for a healthier, sustainable 24/7 society.