Alzheimer Center Limburg – 25 years

25 years, more than 100 PhDs, over 60 staff members, and a strong connection with Interdem. Mid-September, around 150 people gathered in Maastricht to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Alzheimer Center Limburg (ACL), part of Maastricht University and Maastricht UMC+.

For Interdem members, ACL is a familiar and much-valued partner. Founding father Frans Verhey has been closely involved with Interdem from the beginning, and Marjolein de Vugt, current director of ACL, is our Interdem chair. The next generation is equally well represented, with Sara Laureen Bartels leading the Interdem Academy and Fania Dassen as its coordinator.

The anniversary symposium offered a great mix of past, present and future. Frans and colleagues looked back at the centre’s origins and impressive growth. This blast of the past was followed by an overview of ACL’s three research lines by their coordinators. These are Risk & Prevention, Diagnostics & Disease Mechanisms, and Psychosocial Innovations.

Nine PhD researchers presented their work within each research line, creating a lively bridge between the centre’s history, present and its future. And the celebrations were not limited to Maastricht: video messages with congratulations were shown from near and far, including a special message from Myrra Vernooij-Dassen, former chair of Interdem.

The day concluded with a keynote and panel discussion on where dementia research is heading, before everyone moved on to the equally important business of celebrating!

What began 25 years ago has grown into a vibrant research community with a broad international network and a clear focus on improving the lives of people living with dementia and their families.

Congratulations to everyone at Alzheimer Center Limburg on this impressive milestone! We look forward to meeting many of you again at the Alzheimer Europe Conference in Dublin at the end of October. Do come and say hello, and let’s celebrate those 25 years together!

More info: https://www.alzheimercentrumlimburg.nl/