Sterk Participatieprijs

The award is named after Prof. Dr. Peter Sterk. Throughout his impressive career, he has shown great commitment to patient participation. One example of this is the U-Biopred project.

With this award, Longfonds aims to encourage researchers in the respiratory field to integrate the patient perspective into all phases of their research - from design to implementation. Involving patients as research partners offers unique insights that significantly enhance both the relevance and quality of your project. 

What can you win? - the deadline has expired

The award includes a total prize of 5,000 euros.

• 500 euros serves as a personal acknowledgment of your commitment to involving patients in research – yours to spend as you see fit.
• 4,500 euros is intended to further strengthen patient participation in current or future projects, for example through:
  • Publishing research results in open access channels/journals
  • Patient participation training for researchers
  • Individual coaching for researchers on patient participation
  • Organising open days or conferences for patients
  • Compensation for “professional” patient partners

Involving patients

Involving people with lung disease in research is an important focus of Longfonds. Their experience can make a valuable contribution to research. They are important partners in dialogue, as people with lung disease know exactly what it is like to live with such a condition — they are experts by experience.

These experts can play an active role in the design, supervision, and reporting of research. Their role goes beyond simply informing or consulting patients; it is closer to advising, co-deciding, and sharing responsibility.

Patient representatives of Longfonds are trained for this. Read more here about patient participation and how to involve patients in your research. You can also find extensive information on patient participation at ZonMw and on Kickstarter, a platform developed with and for researchers.

Previous winners

The award is presented annually. Here’s an overview of previous winners:

• 2018

  Karen Moor, a researcher at Erasmus MC, won the award for her study “Development and evaluation of a home monitoring program for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.”

• 2019

  Dr. Susanne Vijverberg, a researcher at Amsterdam UMC, won the award for her study “Evaluation of establishing a youth council on chronic respiratory diseases in a pediatric academic hospital.”

• 2020

  2020 was a special year. In that year, the award was presented to two researchers. Marieke Duiverman, pulmonologist at UMCG, won the award for the Reconsider study. Charlotte Poot, researcher at LUMC, received the award for the Acceptance study, in which she further developed the ‘slimme astma inhalator’ program. 

• 2021

  Silvan Licher, a researcher at Erasmus MC, won the award for his onderzoek naar multimorbiditeit.

• 2022

  Danya Muilwijk, researcher and pulmonologist in training at UMC Utrecht, received the award for the ‘Q-Life project’.

• 2024

  Delian Hofman, physician-researcher and PhD candidate at the Department of Pulmonology at Erasmus MC, received the award for her research on implementing home monitoring for people with pulmonary fibrosis.