Assistant professor
Dr. N.M.A. (Niels) van den Berg
Area(s) of expertise:
Healthy Ageing, socioeconomic health inequalities, causal and longitudinal methods, family data, genetic data
Healthy Ageing, socioeconomic health inequalities, causal and longitudinal methods, family data, genetic data
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Introduction
I hold an MSc degree in behavioral sciences (with distinction) and a PhD in molecular epidemiology from the LUMC (2020). Following my doctoral research, I worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Netherlands Twin Register (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Lund University in Sweden. I am currently working at the Department of Biomedical Data Sciences and Health Campus The Hague.
My research bridges the social and biomedical sciences to uncover the socioeconomic, behavioral, and molecular mechanisms that influence healthy aging and drive health inequalities. I am particularly interested in understanding how these factors interact and can inform interventions and policy. Within LUMC, I contribute to data science education and am involved in the LEGend consortium as well as the Prevention & Lifestyle research theme. In addition, I am an active member of the Dutch Society for Aging Research and the Dutch Demographic Society, where I founded and coordinate the Dutch Health Demography Network.
My research bridges the social and biomedical sciences to uncover the socioeconomic, behavioral, and molecular mechanisms that influence healthy aging and drive health inequalities. I am particularly interested in understanding how these factors interact and can inform interventions and policy. Within LUMC, I contribute to data science education and am involved in the LEGend consortium as well as the Prevention & Lifestyle research theme. In addition, I am an active member of the Dutch Society for Aging Research and the Dutch Demographic Society, where I founded and coordinate the Dutch Health Demography Network.
Scientific research
Life expectancy has increased significantly over the past centuries, but not everyone benefitted equally. Persons with a low socioeconomic status (SES) live on average 8.5 years shorter and become ill 24 years earlier. I have shown that this inequality is not only individual, but also familial. Some families experience healthy aging across generations, while others face early illness and premature death. I study how social and economic conditions, together with molecular factors such as genetics and biomarkers, contribute to healthy aging. By analyzing large datasets and developing new statistical methods, I investigate the causes and consequences of socioeconomic health disparities. My goal is to understand how lifestyle and resources—such as education, social networks, and wealth—shape the aging process. My work has been published in leading journals, and I regularly present my findings to both academic audiences and the general public.
