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BioClock team bij Lowlands Science 2025

Looking Back: BioClock at Lowlands Science

Morning activity lowers depression risk, evening activity increases it

New pilot study: Digital intervention for better sleep and mental wellbeing in students

Join the Photo Challenge: The Beauty of the Night

Why artificial light at night is a problem for insects – And what we can do about it

BioClock contributes to international dialogue on the Night as a Habitat

Warmer and brighter: How we influence the foraging behavior of bats

Daylight Saving Time, Lowlands and colored streetlights: BioClock in the media spotlight

The Importance of Darkness – Matariki and the Power of the Night

BioClock scientists share insights at global conference in Boston

BioClock team bij Lowlands Science 2025

Looking Back: BioClock at Lowlands Science

August 19, 2025

As widely shared on our social media channels, the BioClock team was present at Lowlands Science 2025 last weekend (16–18 August), where we introduced festival visitors to the fascinating world of the biological clock. The initiative was led by Maaike van der Rhee, Demy van Gilst, Ward Vleeshouwers, and Gali Albalak. Under the motto “Too […]

Morning activity lowers depression risk, evening activity increases it

August 14, 2025

New study highlights the importance of timing in physical activity Research by BioClock scientist Gali Albalak (Leiden University Medical Center) shows that not only how much we move, but also when we move can influence our mental health. The results indicate that people who are primarily active in the morning have a significantly lower risk […]

New pilot study: Digital intervention for better sleep and mental wellbeing in students

Biological clock & Student wellbeing Sleep problems are increasingly common among university students and are strongly linked to mood and anxiety disorders. An irregular day–night rhythm – caused by late bedtimes and social jetlag – worsens these complaints. What was studied? BioClock researcher Laura Pape (Leiden University) and her colleagues developed the digital self-help intervention […]

Join the Photo Challenge: The Beauty of the Night

The night is full of life, if you look closely. Take part and capture a striking image that puts the natural world after sunset centre stage. Send in your photo by 14 September for the Photo Challenge “The Beauty of the Night.” In a world that grows ever brighter, this contest highlights the importance of […]

Why artificial light at night is a problem for insects – And what we can do about it

Artificial light at night may seem harmless. After all, it helps us see better, feel safer, and enjoy our cities after sunset. But for insects, night-time lighting can be a trap – literally. And since insects are essential for pollination and as food for birds and bats, the ripple effects are widespread. A new BioClock-study […]

BioClock contributes to international dialogue on the Night as a Habitat

Night is more than just a moment on the clock – it is a rich and diverse habitat we still know surprisingly little about. But what does ‘the night’ mean for our modern cities? For the latest Roundtable by the international platform The Nature of Cities (TNOC), researchers, designers, and policymakers from around the world […]

Warmer and brighter: How we influence the foraging behavior of bats

Higher temperatures amplify the effects of anthropogenic light at night on bats. A recent publication by Sander Buddendorf, a researcher at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) within the BioClock project, shows that common pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) are more strongly attracted to streetlights on warm nights — a behavior that disrupts their foraging patterns […]

Daylight Saving Time, Lowlands and colored streetlights: BioClock in the media spotlight

Daylight Saving Time under scrutiny by NTR Wetenschap and NPO 3 op Reis On June 21 – the longest day of the year – NTR Wetenschap released a short video about the effects of light on our biological clock. Chronobiologist Inês Machado Chaves, affiliated with BioClock, explains how light impacts our bodies and why we […]

The Importance of Darkness – Matariki and the Power of the Night

This weekend, Aotearoa New Zealand celebrates the start of the new year: Matariki, a festival rooted in the Māori lunar calendar. Aotearoa is the Māori name for New Zealand, meaning “land of the long white cloud.” Matariki marks the reappearance of the Pleiades star cluster in the morning sky and is a time for reflection, remembrance, and […]

BioClock scientists share insights at global conference in Boston

Last week, several BioClock researchers attended the 36th annual meeting of the Society for Light, Rhythms, and Circadian Health (SLRCH) in Boston — a vibrant gathering of international experts in the field of light, biological rhythms, and health. Heidi Lammers-van der Holst presented research by Maaike van der Rhee, and Raymond Noordam, Gali Albalak, Emma […]

Festival Jetlag: BioClock investigates sleep deprivation at Lowlands ’25

At a festival like Lowlands, your biological clock is put to the test. With performances running deep into the night, little sleep, and constant stimulation, festivalgoers are bound to get exhausted. But what exactly does that do to your brain? This August, BioClock will be part of Lowlands Science 2025 to find out. Our team […]

BioClock featured on Dutch children’s TV: Light pollution in Het Klokhuis

How does artificial light at night affect the natural world — and our sleep? A recent episode of Het Klokhuis, a Dutch educational TV show for children, explores the science behind light pollution, featuring BioClock researcher Kamiel Spoelstra (NIOO-KNAW). Kamiel explains how streetlights can confuse insects, delay trees from shedding their leaves, and leave animals […]

New BioClock Publication by Ayano Shiba

What do running and hormones have in common? They both influence your biological clock — right down to the molecular level. We’re proud to share the latest scientific publication by our PhD candidate Ayano Shiba, in the Journal of Circadian Rhythms: “Voluntary Running and Estrous Cycle Modulate ΔFOSB in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus of the Wistar […]

International Day of Light

BioClock contributes to international consensus statement on light and health

Friday, May 16 marks UNESCO’s International Day of Light. On this day, BioClock and international partners draw attention to the importance of responsible light use for the health of people and nature. BioClock researchers were closely involved in the development of 26 international consensus statements, created as part of the Light for Public Health Initiative. […]

Kamiel Spoelstra stormvogels Radio1

Seabirds crash due to light pollution: Kamiel Spoelstra explains on NPO Radio1

In a recent episode of De Nieuws BV on NPO Radio1, Kamiel Spoelstra, researcher researcher at BioClock and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, discussed the growing problem of artificial light pollution and its devastating impact on wildlife. A striking example comes from Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean, where young seabirds (storm-petrels) often crash […]

Looking Back on the BioClock Progress Meeting – April, 2025

Last Tuesday, April 15, a large group of BioClock consortium members gathered at Erasmus MC for the semi-annual BioClock Progress Meeting. It was an inspiring and enjoyable day, during which several trainees presented the progress of their research projects. We were also honored by the presence of Dr. Mariana Astiz. She was one of the […]

Antonia Kleinhoonte Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Prof. Dick Swaab at the Dutch Chronobiology Meeting

Each April, the BioClock Consortium organizes a national conference to bring together chronobiologists from across the Netherlands to share scientific findings and inspire one another. The third edition of the Dutch Chronobiology Meeting took place this past Monday in the auditorium of Rotterdam’s City Hall, hosted by the Municipality of Rotterdam—one of BioClock’s partners. Almost […]

Bioclock bij culturele zondag

🎉 BioClock kicks off Dutch Health Week at Culturele Zondag!

This past weekend, the BioClock consortium was present at Jaarbeursplein in Utrecht during Culturele Zondag — the festive launch of Dutch Health Week. On this sunny day filled with dance, music, and theatre, we added an educational and engaging twist to the program. Visitors could discover their chronotype — in other words: are you a […]

opening bioklok schooltuin Leiden

First Bioclock Garden in the Netherlands Officially Opened in Leiden

On Friday, March 28, 2025, the very first Bioclock Garden in the Netherlands was officially opened in the school gardens of Leiden. The opening was led by Prof. Joke Meijer on behalf of the Bioclock Consortium and attended by the mayor of Leiden and the board of the School Garden Association. The Bioclock Garden is […]

Joke Meijer pleit voor het einde van ‘zomertijd’ op Radio 1

Afgelopen weekend vond de halfjaarlijkse klokwisseling plaats, waarbij we overschakelden naar de zomertijd. Naar aanleiding hiervan was prof. Joke Meijer, hoofd van het BioClock-consortium en hoogleraar hersenonderzoek aan de Universiteit Leiden, te gast bij het radioprogramma ‘NOS Met het Oog op Morgen’ op NPO Radio 1. In het interview pleitte zij voor het afschaffen van […]

stop het verzetten van de klok hoorzitting EU

BioClock Consortium presents position statement: End the clock changes

The BioClock Consortium has released an official position statement advocating for the abolition of the biannual clock changes and the adoption of a fixed, healthy time zone: natural time. Our position: Choose natural time On the night of Saturday, March 29 to Sunday, March 30, 2025, the clocks will move forward by one hour once […]

BioClock research lightsensitivity NEMO setup

Successful research at NEMO: Sensitivity to Light in Morning and Evening People

January 6, 2025

Over the past two weeks, a part of the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam was transformed into a research center for the BioClock Consortium. The goal? To understand whether the biological clock of evening people is more sensitive to light than that of morning people.

Hannah Broeckx Wins Poster Prize at Entomology Day 2024

December 27, 2024

On Friday, December 13, Hannah Broeckx won the poster prize during the annual Entomology Day organized by the Netherlands Entomological Society (NEV). The poster focused on Hannah’s research on the impact of light pollution on caterpillars.

CIE Wyszecki Gold Pin Awardee 2023: Luc Schlangen

February 12, 2024

Flexibility in activity timing may enable organisms to quickly adapt to environmental changes. Under global warming, diurnally adapted endotherms may achieve a better energy balance by shifting their activity towards cooler nocturnal hours.

Article – Seeking temporal refugia to heat stress

February 6, 2024

Flexibility in activity timing may enable organisms to quickly adapt to environmental changes. Under global warming, diurnally adapted endotherms may achieve a better energy balance by shifting their activity towards cooler nocturnal hours.

Documentary – The Dark Side of Bright Nights

January 4, 2024

Two young filmmakers,Tim Visser and Sander van Iersel, have made a beautiful documentary about light and light pollution, which was first shown at the Rotterdam Film Festival, 2023, featuring BioClock researcher Kamiel Spoelstra.

Book – The clock with a thousand hands

October 10, 2023

A new Dutch book about the biological clock will be released on October 20 – De klok met duizend wijzers, translated to The clock with a thousand hands – How the biological clock influences your life. Anneloes Opperhuizen and Marijke Gordijn wrote the book that explains what the biological clock is, how it works and […]

Photo by Brad Fickeisen on Unsplash

Nature friendly lighting in the city

October 3, 2023

The national organization for public lighting in the Netherlands (OVLNL) have published an article about BioClock in the technical magazine for public lighting. The article is accessible here (in Dutch).: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/1f9692687c.html#page/9

How many moth species live in Amsterdam?

September 26, 2023

From May till September of this year, Amsterdam has been the research site of a large moth-project. At over 50 different places in the city of Amsterdam, citizens have collected data on the presence of nocturnal moths. These insects are very important for the pollination of plants but are strongly reducing in number, partly due […]

Bioclock at The Night of Discoveries!

September 18, 2023

Last Saturday, the BioClock researchers Merlijne Smit and Laura Kervezee were at the arts and science festival The Night of Discoveries. On this beautiful summer evening, they performed a short public outreach activity at the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden. The festival visitors could do a short online test to discover whether they are a morning […]

Photo on Unsplash by Jackson Hendry

A dark sky, important for butterly & human

September 14, 2023

In the national newspaper Trouw, a good article was published on the importance of a dark night. Not only to be able to see the stars, also for life on Earth. Read it here (in Dutch).

Image by Hans van Kooten

Gather all rhythms! – The first Dutch Chronobiology Meeting

September 4, 2023

By Anneloes Opperhuizen – Photography by Hans van Kooten It has been 6 years since Dutch chronobiologists in the Netherlands had gathered for a scientific meeting. The OnTime consortium ran at that time during which annual meetings were extended towards national meetings. After the end of OnTime, national gatherings did not take place, until now. […]

Blue light glasses to get through the night shift?

September 4, 2023

Last week, the journal of Intensive Care Medicine published a letter to the editor from Anneloes Opperhuizen and colleagues on the potential of blue light emitting glasses to improve alertness in nurses.

Photo by aron visuals on unsplash

Full moon

August 28, 2023

The next full moon will be on August 31. A long while ago, full moon was the brightest amount of light possible at night. Now that has changed. Joke Meijer and Anneloes Opperhuizen wrote an article about this for Night of the Night. You can read the article here (in Dutch). On October 28, several […]

Night of the discoveries & Amsterdam dark festival

August 21, 2023

In September, two events are scheduled during which BioClock participates. On September 16th, during the Night of the Discoveries in Leiden, you can discover how your biological clock is set. Merlijne and Laura, involved in the BioClock Consortium LUMC, would be delighted to include your data in the research! Visit Merlijne and Laura and discover […]

Image by ARTIS

Night of the Discoveries & Amsterdam Dark Festival

August 21, 2023

In September, two events are scheduled during which BioClock participates. On September 16th, during the Night of the Discoveries in Leiden, you can discover how your biological clock is set. Merlijne and Laura, involved in the BioClock Consortium LUMC, would be delighted to include your data in the research! Visit Merlijne and Laura and discover […]

Photo by Nahtahn Dumlao on unsplash

Help us! With a short questionnaire

August 17, 2023

To be able to tell as many people as possible about the biological clock, we are developing a public activity and we need help from you. Could you please fill out this short (5 minute) questionnaire? With your answers we can improve and develop the activity further. Thank you very much! https://leidenuniv.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bNHeXMW02rqtFQO

Image by Science

Losing the darkness – a Science Special Issue on Light Pollution

Light is the main Zeitgeber for the circadian clock, of many organisms. The endless exposure to light, including during the nighttime, is disruptive for the function of circadian clocks everywhere in nature. This research is one of the pillars of the BioClock Consortium. Now, in June ’23, the high impact and world-renowned journal of Science […]

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Chronobiology meets sleep: from animal to human research – Spring Symposium

On May 9th, 2023, the Dutch Society for Sleep-Wake Research organizes a symposium titled ‘Chronobiology meets sleep: from animal to human research’. The symposium will take place Tuesday the 9th of May from 13:00- 18:00 PM. During the meeting the BioClock founders (Joke Meijer, Laura Kervezee) and other chronobiology researchers will provide a translational perspective […]

Photo on Unsplash by Ainsley Myles

Daylight Saving Time. Stop it.

Anneloes Opperhuizen Monday morning, the last weekend of Match, is the start of the first week after Daylight Saving Time has taken place again. At the same time it is the moment we often literally feel that the social clock has shifted an hour. It causes sleep loss of one hour, a sudden change in […]

Image by Hannah Broeckx

One-year update by Hannah: are effects of light pollution equal for a caterpillar, moth and bird?

PhD candidate Hannah Broeckx provides us with an update of her first year. Insect-predator interactions in the spotlight By Hannah Broeckx I am one year into my research on the effect of artificial light at night (ALAN) on insect-predator interactions. What an interesting process it has been so far! ALAN has been shown to impact […]

Photo on Unsplash by Victoria Feliniak

One-year update: Evelien studies the effects of light at night on plants

PhD candidate Evelien Castrop has started a year ago on her project in which she studies plants; the base of all ecosystems. Are they affected by nocturnal artificial light? She wrote us an update: “The Luminescent Landscape: Understanding the Impact of Artificial Light on Plants” by Evelien Castrop Is ALAN changing the way our wild […]

Kamiel Spoelstra / NIOO-KNAW

One-year update: Sander on understanding the urban bat

February 7, 2023

PhD candidate Sander Buddendorf has worked for the past year on his project to understand the bats in urban environments. Are they affected by nocturnal light exposure? That is what he tries to find out in his project. An update on his first year. Understanding the urban bat By Sander Buddendorf The bat is a […]

Photo by markus Spiske on Unsplash

Does a vaccination work better in the morning or evening? Koen & Tamara will find out

January 31, 2023

In the fall of 2022, PhD candidates Koen Vink and Tamara Brouwers started with their BioClock project at the RIVM. Supervised by prof. Debbie van Baarle and prof. Jacco Wallinga, they investigate the interaction between the circadian clock and the immune system. More specifically, they look at the timing and dosing of vaccinations on the […]

StrandLAB Almere

The rhythm of darkness – Joke Meijer at StrandLAB Almere

January 24, 2023

On Thursday February 2nd, StrandLAB Almere organizes mini lectures on the importance of darkness. BioClock coordinator, Joke Meijer, will hold a lecture and tickets can be bought through www.strandlab-almere.nl. StrandLAB Almere is a cultural outdoor laboratorium on the beach of Almere. It is a place for talent and experiments. In collaboration with citizens, artists, scientists […]

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash

The biological clock explained in the video podcast of the University of the Netherlands

January 23, 2023

Struggling to get up? You are not to blame! Prof. dr. Roelof Hut (University of Groningen) explains why this is true in the video podcast of the University of the Netherlands. This platform allows scientists to explain difficult concepts within a short time. He explains what the biological clock is, how it direct all clocks […]

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One-year update: Danielle shines a light on fish

January 13, 2023

PhD candidate Danielle Crowley started a year ago on her project in WP3.1. It is time for an update on her findings and plans. Keeping rhythm by Danielle Crowley Fish, like humans, follow light/dark (L/D) cycles of around 24 hours. These cycles or circadian rhythms as they are otherwise known, are responsible for initiating and maintaining […]

Photo by Rohan Makhecha on Unsplash

Light affects us. But how? Francesca will find out

January 10, 2023

In May 2022, Francesca Borghese started her PhD project at the University of Groningen. She will study how light affects humans, in several ways. She will be supervised by prof. Roelof Hut. Who are you? Hi, my name is Francesca! I was born in Italy and grew up in different countries in Asia and Africa, […]

Photo on Unsplash by Christopher Lemercier

One-year-update: Laura wants to improve the clock and mental health of students

December 23, 2022

PhD candidate Laura Pape has started over a year ago on her project in WP1.4. It is time for an update on her findings and plans. E-health for university students by Laura Pape My project in work package 1.4 is about the effectiveness of a guided e-health intervention on improving sleep and mental in university students. […]

Photo by Jason Dent on Unsplash

BioClock researchers win AWARDS!

December 5, 2022

We are happy to announce that our BioClock researchers from different clusters are awarded with several prizes. Congratulations to all! PhD candidate Gali Albalak has won the Piet Visser poster award at the NSWO – Dutch Society for Sleep-Wake Research. Kamiel Spoelstra has won the Stairway to Impact Award from NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk […]

Image by LUMC

New publication: Timing of exercise matters for cardiovascular health

November 15, 2022

BioClock PhD candidate Gali Albalak and her team at the Leiden University Medical Centre have published a new study which shows that the time of preferred exercise is associated with the risk for cardiovascular health problems, as well as the risk for stroke. People who prefer to exercise in the morning showed a 16% reduced […]

23 project in a nutshell – The BioClock meeting!

November 11, 2022

On Monday, November 7th, close to 70 members of the BioClock consortium gathered at (Scheltema) Leiden for a fun and informative day; the cluster meeting. Nearly all PhD and Post doc candidates in short presented the current status of their project and discussed protocols, pilot results and future plans. In 18 short presentations, we met […]

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Why wintertime?

October 28, 2022

At the end of October it is here again, we will shift the clock an hour backwards. Will it be the last time we adjust our watch? BioClock hopes so because shifting the clock is not good for our health. Especially changing towards summertime, or daylight savings time because wintertime (or standard time) is better […]

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Special issue Nutrients: Effects of healthy on Chronic Diseases

October 21, 2022

Dear Colleagues, This Special Issue discusses the effects of healthy lifestyles, focusing on diet, sleep, and exercise, on Chronic Diseases. Health is a topic which is both long investigated, but also constantly developing. Among all the factors affecting health, lifestyle is the most controllable and influential factor. A proper diet, moderate exercise, and adequate sleep […]

Photo by Maaike van der Rhee

Shiftwork messes with the biological clock. Maaike searches for solutions.

October 17, 2022

PhD candidate Maaike van der Rhee has recently started her project at the Erasmus MC, supervised by dr. Heidi Lammers-van der Holst, dr. Linda van Kerkhof and prof. dr. Bert van der Horst. With millions of shiftworkers worldwide, the need for solutions and advise how to deal with shiftwork conditions is urgent. Shiftworkers risk different […]

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Seeing Stars: lights off, stars (and nature) on

September 30, 2022

by Martina Vijver Last Sunday Sept 25th night there was the beautiful event entitled Seeing the Stars for which many streetlights, garden lights and all other types of lights were switched off from 22.00-23.30. This was to create citizens awareness for light pollution. A quote by Daan Roosegaarde – initiator together with many Leiden scientists: […]

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A one-year-update: Ayano on the timing of exercise

September 20, 2022

PhD candidate Ayano Shiba has started one year ago in WP1.2. An update of her work at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN). Know your clock! by Ayano Shiba Have you ever thought about staying fit with a minimum of effort? If yes, we assure you that you will benefit from the results of our […]

Image by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

A one-year-update: Gali on the timing of exercise in humans

September 20, 2022

hD candidate Gali Albalak has started over a year ago on her project in WP1.2. It is time for an update on her findings and plans. It’s about time! By Gali Albalak In the first cluster of this consortium (‘Clocks in Society´) there is a work package that aims to uncover the timing of behavioural […]

Image by RTL Nieuws Editie NL

RTL News: Blue nights due to artificial light: ‘Different colors would be better’

September 20, 2022

Adjusting outdoor lighting usually aims to reduce energy, and is done by using LED lights. But that increases the amount of blue light in the environment leading to light pollution with many consequences for nature. National news channel RTL broadcasted an interview with BioClock researcher Kamiel Spoelstra and BioClock advisor Ellen de Vries about this. […]

Image by Gabriel Charvalakis

Insects in the spotlight: Gabriel studies the impact of light at night on the clocks and behavior of insects

September 16, 2022

Gabriel Charvalakis has recently started his PhD research at the Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) in Wageningen and the University of Groningen. Under supervision of dr. ir. Kamiel Spoelstra and dr. Roelof Hut, he investigates all aspects of light that may have an influence on insects. The number of insects is decreasing rapidly, and one […]

Image by Inge Snijders

Inge wants to find chemical ways to target the biological clock

August 29, 2022

Inge Snijders has recently started her PhD research at the University of Leiden. Under supervision of prof. Dr. Laura Heitman and Dr. Daan van der Es, she will look for new targets and modulators of the biological clock. Since the circadian system is involved with many diseases but also becomes more dysfunctional with age for […]

The BioClock Academy

August 23, 2022

We are proud to present the BioClock Academy! On the 21st of September, 2022, we will kickoff with a monthly online seminar aiming for an introduction to basic concepts and understanding of biological rhythms. For anyone who is relatively new to the field of chronobiology, certain concepts may be challenging to grasp. With our Academy, […]

Image by Jip Koene

Light pollution and moths: how diverse is the Flevopark?

Jip Koene, research intern, worked with Hannah Broeckx in the beginning of her project on the effects of light pollution on nocturnal butterflies – better known as moths. These moths are an important chain of a food web as they serve as prey for birds and bats, but also contribute largely to pollination of all […]

Image by Nihal Fawzi

Nihal studies how we can integrate chronobiology in secondary school education!

Nihal Fawzi is recent als PhD kandidaat onderzoeker begonnen aan de Hogeschool van Amsterdam aan haar project: BioClock & Educatie. Onder begeleiding van dr. Marco Kragten en dr. Bert Bredeweg gaat zij onderzoeken hoe het onderwerp van de biologische klok in het middelbare onderwijsprogramma in Nederland een plek kan krijgen. Ontzettend belangrijk want hoe meer […]

Laura Kervezee receives Heineken Young Scientist Award!

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences has awarded one of four Heineken Young Scientist Awards 2022 to BioClock co-leader Laura Kervezee. She is the winner in the Medical/Biomedical sciences section and receives 10.000 euros. Laura has been awarded the prize for her research after the effects of disturbance of biological rhythms on health. […]

image by julius drost

Dutch scientists want to improve the rhythm of the biological clock

The Dutch national newspaper Trouw published a large article on the goals of the BioClock consortium. You can read it here (in Dutch).

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The importance of darkness for the Wadden area – and people

BioClock collaborates in different projects with the Donkerte van de Wadden; this is a program in the Wadden sea area and they pursue more awareness of the importance of darkness and they invite people to experience the unique darkness of the Wadden. Within the Netherlands, this area is roughly the only place it is still […]

Image by Mare

Not just blue light keeps you awake!

In the past years, much has been written and said about blue light. It was suggested that mainly blue light causes problems for the biological clock and sleep. BioClock researchers, led by Joke Meijer, now have shown that not just blue light can affect our biological clock! They performed an MRI study, and showed that […]

Image by Kornelija Vitkute

Kornelija wants to know everything about the effects of light on animals and humans

In February, Kornelija Vitkute started her PhD project at the University of Groningen. Under supervision of dr. Peter Meerlo, dr. Robbert Havekes and dr. Roelof Hut, she investigates the effects of static artificial light on behavior, physiology and brain mechanisms. With this knowledge, from both nocturnal and diurnal species, lights can be designed that are […]

Image by Ivanka Spruijt

How does light affect the clock of insects? An important question in Ivanka’s project

Ivanka Spruijt has started her PhD project at the Leiden University and University of Amsterdam. She investigates the effects of artificial light at night on insects, and more specifically she looks at the plant-insect interaction. If the rhythms within this interaction are disturbed, this may lead to problematic consequences for survival of species. Who are […]

Oana-Georgiana investigates how light therapy works in our brain

In January, Oana-Georgiana started her post doc research project at the Leiden University. In collaboration with BioClock PhD candidate Emma Visser, and under supervision of dr. Niki Antypa, she will further optimize light therapy as a treatment for depressed patients. Light and chronotherapy are effective therapeutic strategies and therefore widely used but the underlying mechanisms […]

JorineRoelants

Pediatric resident Jorine studies methods to strengthen the clocks of preterm babies

In the summer of 2021, Jorine has started her BioClock post doc research at the Erasmus MC. This project is a collaboration with BioClock PhD Demy van Gilst and under supervision of dr. Ines Chaves and dr. Marijn Vermeulen and professors Bert van der Horst and Irwin Reiss. The main goal of the project is […]

image by Vlad Kutepov unsplash

Artificial light disturbs the biological clock of animals – a report of BioClock research in the Volkskrant (national newspaper)

Kamiel Spoelstra, BioClock researchers, explains in a large interview how artificial light affects the environment. Especially bats, his expertise, are largely affected by streetlights and building lighting. He explains that certain species may flourish in extra lighting but many species are disturbed by it. Together this reduces the diversity of bat species and biodiversity in […]

Disturbance of the circadian rhythm in Western society – an honours project

A team of honours students of the University of Amsterdam created a magazine on the disturbance of the circadian rhythm in Western society. They approached this ‘wicked challenge in health’ from different perspectives, including biological, psychological and sociological. BioClock researchers Oana-Georgiana Rus-Oswald (LU), Emma Visser (TU/e) and Tom de Boer (LUMC) were among the interviewees. […]

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Suffering from sleep problems as a student? Join the i-Sleep & BioClock online program.

Are you a university student who suffers from sleep problems? Do you struggle to fall asleep or sleep through the night? Say no more… In the last couple of months, we have been collaborating with experts in the field of sleep research and clinical psychology at Leiden University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) to develop the i-Sleep & […]

Image by Hans van Kooten

BioClock has started!

Last Thursday, April 21st, we celebrated the official start of BioClock with our kickoff event! After delaying the original meeting, we welcomed over 80 participants of the consortium on a great spring day. ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo was the host of our event which allowed us to use great venues. In the dome of the […]

Image by Hannah Broeckx

Hannah studies how light at night may contribute to the loss of insects

PhD candidate Hannah Broeckx recently started her PhD research at the University of Amsterdam. Under supervision of prof. Astrid Groot and dr. Emily Burdfield-Steel, she will investigate the effects of light at night in urban areas on the behavior and physiology of nocturnal insects such as moths. Since these animals are an important element in […]

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Latest insight – How the human biological clock responds to light

A new publication in PNAS by BioClock researchers shows how the SCN responds to different colors of light. In the remarkable study, led by BioClock coordinator Joke Meijer (Leiden University Medical Center, LUMC), it was discovered that not only blue light triggers activity of the biological clock. This is a groundbreaking discovery because until now […]

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Daylight savings time is a bad idea.

In the night from March 26 to 27, daylight savings time has taken place again. Many people agree that this change of time two times per year is not ideal. But a dreading discussion is ongoing on how to decide this issue. Even on European level this issue is discussed each year. Scientists are clear […]

Image by Kate Stone Matheson

International Day for Sleep: attention for sleep is crucial

Today is the International Day for Sleep; a day to focus on the importance of sleep. Sleep is crucial for health, both mentally and physically and when it is disturbed, it may largely affect many functions. In particular shift workers experience severe disturbed sleep with many consequences. What can they do about their problems? Within […]

image by ward vleeshouwers

Ward investigates the role of the circadian system in antitumor immunity

Ward Vleeshouwers started last January with his BioClock project. As a PhD candidate he will investigate the interaction between the circadian clock and the immune system, with a specific focus on tumors. His project is supervised by dr. Ramon Arens and dr. Laura Kervezee. Ward works at the LUMC on the Immunology department. Tell us […]

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A day-night rhythm for preterm newborns, will it strengthen them? Demy wonders

In January, PhD candidate Demy van Gilst started her project in the Erasmus Medical Center of Rotterdam. In her project, she investigates the possibilities to induce a better day-night rhythm in neonates. The question she aims to answer whether that will lead to a faster growth and better long-term health. Under supervision of dr. Marijn […]

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Light pollution under water? Danielle studies the effects on migrating fish

On January 1st, 2022, Danielle Crowley started working as a PhD candidate at the Institute of Biology Leiden. She studies fish and focusses on the effects of light at night. During her project she will be supervised by dr. Christian Tudorache and prof. Joke Meijer. Tell us a little about yourself, who are you? My […]

Come to the European Capital of Science on the Day of the biological clock!

February 28, 2022

This year, the city of Leiden is the European Capital of Science. Each day of the year 2022 focusses on a theme on which research is done in Leiden. On March 25, it is the Day of the Biological Clock. This is the day before Daylight Savings Time takes place which is no coincidence because […]

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Over a million Dutch shift workers disturb their biological clock – a report in the Volkskrant (national newspaper)

February 24, 2022

The biological clock of people is not set to be active at night, and yet thousands of people do this every night. In health care, logistics, security, etc. For some people this is not an issue, for other it is a big problem. These shift workers have an increased risk to develop health problems, which […]

Emma Visser

Emma investigates light therapy for depression

February 21, 2022

Emma Visser works at the Eindhoven University of Technology to study light therapy. This is a commonly used form of therapy for depressed patients, but how it exactly works or can be best applied is still under investigation. During her PhD project, Emma will study those questions under the supervision of dr. Luc Schlangen and […]

Gali Albalak

Does it matter what time you exercise? PhD candidate Gali Albalak will investigate

February 15, 2022

On January 1st 2022, PhD candidate Gali Albalak started her research project at the Leiden University Medical Centre and Leyden academy. She will investigate whether the time of exercise, morning or evening, matters in maintaining a healthy circadian clock and whether this helps in growing old healthy and happily. She will carry out this research […]

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Joke Meijer on TV: “Adolescents are night owls”

January 26, 2022

The announcement of loosening the covid rules on January 25 (in the Netherlands) will make live a little easier for many people. But the night scene will stay locked for a while longer because from 10 PM all bars remain closed. Editie NL (dutch national news channel) asked BioClock coordinator and professor LUMC Joke Meijer […]

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Het Parool (national newspaper) – “Night life is important for citizens of the night”

January 25, 2022

Adolescents are strongly affected by the COVID rules, particularly because they are more focused on night activities than others in the population. Their biological clock makes them more night owls and during their part of life, social aspects are crucial. Therefore, Het Parool (national newspaper) wrote an article about this and included the opinion of […]

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Can the lights be turned off? – Trouw (National newspaper)

January 22, 2022

The Dutch national newspaper Trouw wrote an article about nocturnal light. Why are the lights on everywhere? It is not necessary and harmful. BioClock researcher Kamiel Spoelstra further explains how this light affects nature. You can read the article here (in Dutch).

SanderBuddendorf

Are the effects of light pollution bad for bats? Sander will find out

January 7, 2022

At the Netherlands Insititute of Ecology in Wageningen will PhD candidate Sander Buddendorf investigate the effects of artificial light at night on bat-prey interactions. Since light at night is increasing, and bat populations are decreasing, it is time to investigate this relationship and think of possible solutions. Under the supervision of dr. ir. Kamiel Spoelstra […]

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BioClock on RTL national news

January 3, 2022

Light pollution is high in The Netherlands. Many areas are very lit, and this is affecting nature, including human health. How severe this is and what to do about it, is what BioClock focuses on. RTL, a Dutch news channel, made an item about light pollution and held an interview with professor Joke Meijer and […]

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Eating at night?

December 23, 2021

Bionieuws (the magazing for biologists) reported on an interesting study for shift workers that regularly work at night: it matters when you eat. Researcher Matthew Brown and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester investigated the effects of eating at night. This severely disturbed their rhythms but if they continued to eat during the day, […]

Laurapape

Laura designs an e-health intervention for students to sleep better

December 14, 2021

PhD candidate Laura Pape has recently started her BioClock project at the Leiden University (LU). She works on the design of an e-health intervention focusing on strengthening the biological clock and improving health. It ultimately aims to improve mental health of university students which is often poor. She is supervised by dr. Niki Antypa, professor […]

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The first researcher introduces herself!

November 26, 2021

Ayano Shiba is one of the first PhD BioClock candidates. She works at the Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, under the supervision of Professor Andries Kalsbeek. She introduces herself and her project. Who are you? I am Ayano Shiba, a new PhD student in the laboratory of Professor Andries Kalsbeek at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. […]

Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@naadirshah?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Naadir Shahul</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/radio?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

BioClock on national radio!

November 23, 2021

In the night of November 22nd to 23rd, NPO Radio 1 made a long program about BioClock. Lighttherapy in depression, day and night rhythms on the IC, the importance of light and darkness for biodiversity, and a night hike through the animal facilities of Artis Royal ZOO. The science-radio program Focus spoke with different BioClock […]

Manuel Spitschan

A comic book about the clock

November 23, 2021

Laura Kervezee (coordinator of BioClock) has, together with Marijke Gordijn (Chrono@Work) and Eus van Someren (Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience) translated a comic book named Enlighten your clock made by Coline Weinzaepflen en Manuel Spitchan. The book is freely accessible.

Image by Priscilla du Preez

Let it be dark!

October 30, 2021

On October 30th, the yearly event Night of the Night was organised. This event raises awareness for the importance of darkness. That darkness is essential for many animals, people often know. But that darkness is important for people, is less well known. The effects of light at night – light pollution – are one of […]

Anthony Dela

Your biological clock wants to party early!

September 26, 2021

BioClock coordinator Joke Meijer, explained in RTL News, national tv news channel, that closing bars and restaurants early is a good idea for you biological clock. Due to the COVID rules, bars and restaurants need to close their doors at midnight. Therefore, many bars start their festivites earlier during the day. Joke Meijer explained that […]

De werving van promovendi en postdocs is gestart

Recruitment of PhD students and postdocs has started

We are happy to announce that the recruitment of BioClock PhD students and postdocs has officially started. With the biological clock as common denominator, we will be looking for a wide variety of backgrounds: from ecology and biology to psychology and immunology. You can check out the available positions here [link to vacancy page]. Some […]

Street scene with lamppost in the rain

A multi-million grant to keep the biological clock healthy

Dutch researchers are joining forces to conduct research together with a series of societal partners to keep the biological clock healthy in our modern 24-hour society. The BioClock consortium will receive a research grant of no less than 9.7 million euros for this. It is one of the projects that receive funding within the program […]

The BioClock Consortium is funded by the NWA-ORC programme of the Dutch Research Council (NWO; project number 1292.19.077).