She receives the award for her research on the use of innovative imaging in pelvic floor problems such as prolapse. Twelve young researchers from all fields of science will receive a KNAW Early Career Award. The award goes to early career researchers with innovative original ideas. The annual award consists of a sum of 15,000 euros and a work of art for each of the laureates.
Anique Bellos - Grob is an assistant professor in the Multi-Modality Medical Imaging (M3i) research group. She also has one foot in the field as a technical physician for ZGT in the gynaecology department. "That's really different from most assistant professors. I see patients with prolapses, total ruptures or other problems with the pelvic floor every week at my outpatient clinic," says Bellos - Grob.
Pelvic floor
To determine where the pelvic floor symptoms come from, women are physically examined in the lying position. This is very strange because the complaints of prolapse and incontinence are mainly revealed in the standing position. This is why Bellos - Grob uses a standing MRI scanner in her research, so she can image the prolapse in the natural position. "We are the only ones in the Netherlands who have access to this tilting MRI," Bellos - Grob explains. Little is still known worldwide about the added value of diagnostics and possibly therapy in women with pelvic floor complaints.
Technical physician
"As a technical physician, I look at this clinical problem in a very different way. Much pelvic floor research is still approached completely clinically: for example, which surgical procedure gives the best outcomes if we assess complaints based on questionnaires. Through the use of MRI and ultrasound, it is my ambition to understand the real underlying problem and thus engage in optimal diagnostics and treatment."
The award
The KNAW Early Career Award consists of a cash prize of 15,000 euros. This sum may be spent by the laureates on their research careers as they see fit. Bellos - Grob will also receive the art object 'Extended Jewellery' by Laura Klinkenberg (1992). This is a brass screw with a 'twist'. "You need the twist in both science and art to arrive at new ideas. Also, the twist symbolises contrariness in research," KNAW said. The presentation of the KNAW Early Career Award will take place during a festive meeting at the KNAW Trippenhuis on 15 February 2024.
About Anique Bellos - Grob
Dr Anique Bellos - Grob is assistant professor in the M3i research group of the S&T Faculty and the TechMed Centre. She also works as an outpatient technical physician in the gynaecology department of ZGT. Last year, there was an extensive interview with her in the University of Twente's Campus magazine.
