Thesis Labs Green Healthcare and Global Women’s Health launched

The Thesis Labs 'Green Healthcare' and 'Global Women’s Health' have started this month. In both Thesis Labs, graduating students write their thesis based on a real-life challenge provided by commissioning partners. Through the Thesis Labs, students receive supervision for their research and take part in site visits and masterclasses.

In addition to their individual research projects, participating students also collaborate on recommendations and overarching conclusions for greening healthcare and improving women’s healthcare. Both Thesis Labs are developed and supervised by Leiden–Delft–Erasmus Universities and Medical Delta.

Focus on women’s healthcare

The Global Women’s Health Thesis Lab is being organized for the first time. Nine students from seven different degree programs are participating.

In this Thesis Lab, students explore how the health of women across all life stages can be improved worldwide. Traditionally, healthcare has been based on the male body, resulting in a lack of knowledge about the female body. This has a major impact on women’s quality of life, as well as on society at large, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Students will work on assignments for Layco Medical Devices, LUMC, Erasmus MC, Pharm Access, and the Female Cancer Foundation. Their research topics include, among others, postpartum haemorrhage and (cervical) cancer in women.

More information can be found here: Global Women’s Health | Leiden•Delft•Erasmus

Reducing waste in healthcare

The Thesis Lab Green HealthCare is now in its fifth edition, with the theme of reducing waste and promoting reuse of medical devices and medicines. Eleven students from eight different degree programs are participating, including two students from universities of applied sciences. They will work on assignments from, among others, LUMC, Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Sophia Birth Centre, Johnson & Johnson, Zilveren Kruis, and Becton Dickinson. In addition, a group of students from the LDE Bachelor Honours Program will work on an assignment from the Hubrecht Institute.

The graduating students will investigate, among other topics, how waste in hospitals can be reduced, how the use of intravenous fluids can be minimized, and how process optimization can improve alignment in the delivery of disposable materials in operating room. Site visits to LUMC are planned, as well as masterclasses on topics such as the role of appropriate care in reducing waste and promoting reuse in healthcare, organized by the Dutch Healthcare Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland). A masterclass on medication waste is also included in the program.

View the outcomes of last year’s Green Healthcare Thesis Lab here: Report Medical Delta Café and Round Table Thesis Lab Green Care | Medical Delta. Graduate Christiane Wolfaart received international recognition for her master’s thesis and shares her experience in an interview: Christiane Wolfaart shares her experience with the LDE Thesis Lab Green Healthcare | Centre for Sustainability.

More information can be found on this page: Groene Zorg | Leiden•Delft•Erasmus