My research interest relates to the Developmental Origings of Health and Disease paradigm with a focus on the periconception period as 'earliest window of the life course' involving the role of lifestyle, 1C metabolism and epigenetics in the complex pathophysiology of birth defects, low birth weight and subfertility. I am the principle investigator of the ongoing Rotterdam Periconception cohort embedded in patient care weth a focus on periconception parental healsth determinants, epigenetics, and periconception- and long term health outcomes in mother and child. I initiated and implemented preconception outpatient clinics for tailored nutrition and lifestyle counselling and blended lifetslyle care. From 2003 onwards, several web-based eHealth coaching programs on the mobile phone have been developed and implemented: www.slimmerzwanger.nl (Smarter Pregnancy), www.slimmeretenmetjekind.nl  and http://www.mijnleefstijlzorg.nl/programmas/vervolg(release in 2020).  In 2021 the digital Erasmus MC life course care platform has been released to provide integrated patient journeys of lifestyle-, medical- and social care and research. The loyalty progam www.SnellerZwangerWorden has been released to increase the uptake of preconception lifestyle care of vulnerable women. 

My ultimate aim is to improve health of current and future generations in the periconception period as the earliest time window of lifecourse.