Edward Nieuwenhuis new Chief Medical Officer at Princess Máxima Center
Prof. Dr. Edward Nieuwenhuis has been appointed the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Princess Máxima Center. Nieuwenhuis succeeds Prof. Dr. Rob Pieters, whose term expires on 1 January 2025. Nieuwenhuis was head of pediatrics at UMC Utrecht’s Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital for 11 years. Nieuwenhuis will start as CMO on 1 February 2025.
Prof. Dr. Nieuwenhuis has extensive experience in healthcare and science, combined with a wide (inter)national network. He also has comprehensive managerial experience. From 2009-2020, Nieuwenhuis was head of pediatrics at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, the children’s hospital of UMC Utrecht. From that role, he is very familiar with the Princess Máxima Center and the creation of the research hospital. From 2020-2024, he was director of research and professor of biomedical and life sciences at University College Roosevelt in Middelburg. Since 2024, Nieuwenhuis has served as chairman of the Rare Disease Center at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.
Ir. Rokus van Iperen, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Princess Máxima Center, says: ‘We are very pleased to have Edward Nieuwenhuis as our new Chief Medical Officer. We are confident that with his vision, managerial experience and connecting qualities, he will make a valuable contribution to realizing the strategic goals of the Princess Máxima Center.’
Prof. Edward Nieuwenhuis, future Chief Medical Officer of the Princess Máxima Center, says: ‘The Princess Máxima Center has a special mission. With the board of directors, clinical directors and all staff at this unique center, I hope to strengthen the connections between children, parents, healthcare professionals, departments, nurses and researchers. No one can accomplish such a wonderful mission better than all of us together!’
Internationalization
Nieuwenhuis succeeds Prof. Dr. Rob Pieters, whose term as CMO of the Princess Máxima Center will end on 1 January 2025. With Pieters’ new role as Chief Máxima International, the Princess Máxima Center aims to accelerate internationalization, an important part of its multi-year strategy. Every form of pediatric cancer is rare. Therefore, international collaboration is essential in the care of children with cancer and pediatric cancer research. Rob Pieters will combine the role of CMI with his position as president of SIOP, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology.
Supervisory Board Chairman Rokus van Iperen: ‘Rob Pieters can rightly be called one of the founding fathers of the Princess Máxima Center. The Supervisory Board is extremely grateful for the decisive role he played in the establishment and also in the further expansion to where we are now as a leading research hospital in pediatric oncology. We are very pleased that he will be leading the further expansion of our international collaborations.’
Jan Henk van der Velden leaves Utrecht Science Park Foundation and becomes the new Managing Director at Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park
After nine years, Jan Henk van der Velden will step down as Managing Director of the Utrecht Science Park Foundation effective this coming July 1. As of September 1, 2026, Jan Henk will become Managing Director of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park Foundation. He announced his departure several months ago.
UMC Utrecht takes third surgical robot into use
UMC Utrecht has commissioned a third surgical robot. With the arrival of the latest generation, the Da Vinci 5, even more patients can be operated on with minimal stress. This leads to fewer complications and faster recovery. “Apart from the benefits for patients, the Da Vinci 5 also allows us to train even better,” says Jelle Ruurda, gastrointestinal surgeon and professor of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery. “At the touch of a button, colleagues can watch remotely, and even learn from previous operations. This way we share knowledge faster and more widely.” The hospital is thus building on a tradition of 25 years at the forefront of robotic surgery.
The HU Entrepreneurship & Retail Management is moving to the Utrecht Science Park.
The Entrepreneurship & Retail Management (ORM) program will relocate from Amersfoort to the Utrecht Science Park as of September 1, 2026. According to program manager Lisette Luijk (Institute for Marketing & Commerce), it is mainly about one thing: more connection.
31 May running festival at Utrecht Science Park; read all about accessibility
On Sunday 31 May 2026, Utrecht will once again be fully dedicated to the HiPRO Utrecht Marathon supported by Utrecht Science Park. With a large amount of participants in the previous edition, the event has grown into a staple for runners from Utrecht and far beyond. This year also promises to be a special edition, featuring the new addition of the Dutch National Championships Half Marathon (NK Halve Marathon). Utrecht Science Park will once again be the vibrant heart of the event, where sport, energy, and connection come together.