Manon Benders

Full Professor

Strategic program(s):

Biography

Manon Benders is professor in Neonatology of the Wilhelmina Children's hospital, UMC Utrecht. Currently she is head of the Department since 2015 (18 stafmembers/fellows and 10 physician assistents).

She obtained her PhD degree in Leiden (1999, Prof. Margot van der Bor). She was qualified as a Pediatrician-Neonatologist since 2006 (prof. Frank van Bel). thereafter she did a fellowship in Neonatal Neurology (prof. Linda de Vries).

She has been a consultant neonatologist in the Wilhelmina Children’s hospital of the University Medical Center in Utrecht, the Netherlands since 2006. In 2014 she was working as a senior clinical lecturer, King’s college London and honary consultant in Neonatology at Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Before she did a junior research fellowship on cerebral ultrasound (Prof. dr. F. Walther) in UCLA in 1997, USA and a senior neonatal neurology research fellowship on neonatal neuro-imaging at University of Geneva (Prof. dr. P.S. Hüppi) in 2006-2007 as part of her fellowship Neonatal Neurology.

Manon is currently supervising several PhD students and clinical research fellows/postdocs, working on national and international research projects, focusing on prediction and perinatal neuro-imaging evaluating brain development and neuro-protective and -regenerative strategies.

Education

2008 finished fellowship Neonatal Neurology (Prof dr. Linda de Vries)
2006 Pediatrician- Neonatologist (prof. dr. Frank van Bel)
1999 PhD, Leiden University, the Netherlands (prof. dr. Margot van de Bor)
1996 Bachelor of Medicine, Leiden University, the Netherlands

Research line

Her research focuses on neonatal neuro-imaging. These techniques appear to give the opportunity to detect subtle differences, which are helpful in predicting neurodevelopmental outcome and evaluating of neuroprotective/neuroregenerative strategies to reduce brain injury, which is the other part of her research.

Strategic program(s):

Contact

m.benders@umcutrecht.nl

Pure profile

Research groups

Congenital heart disease

Research aim

To improve long term cardiovascular and neurodevelopmental outcome in patients with severe congenital heart disease.

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Perinatal neuroimaging & neuromonitoring

Research aim

We use longitudinal fetal and neonatal neuroimaging and neuromonitoring to study brain development and function, model brain diseases, and improve long term outcome in high-risk infants.

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Protection and repair of the injured newborn brain

Research aim

Our mission is to unravel the impact of early life adversity, such as perinatal asphyxia and stroke, preterm birth and early life stress on brain development and to design strategies to improve outcome of affected infants, shaping a better future.

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Perinatal surgery & brain damage

Research aim

Our mission is to unravel the impact of neonatal surgery, as well for congenital heart defects as non-cardiac anomalies on brain injury, development and long-term impairments to develop strategies to improve long-term outcome shaping a better future.

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Recent publications

All publications

Neuroinflammatory markers at school age in preterm born children with neurodevelopmental impairments S Van der Zwart, E F Knol, P Gressens, C Koopman, M Benders, E Roze
Brain, behavior, & immunity - health, 2024, vol. 38

Placental Pathology Contributes to Impaired Volumetric Brain Development in Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease Maaike Nijman, Lotte E van der Meeren, Peter G J Nikkels, Raymond Stegeman, Johannes M P J Breur, Nicolaas J G Jansen, Henriette Ter Heide, Trinette J Steenhuis, Roel de Heus, Mireille N Bekker, Nathalie H P Claessens, Manon J N L Benders,
Journal of the American Heart Association, 2024, vol. 13

Detailed statistical analysis plan for ALBINO Corinna Engel, Mario Rüdiger, Manon J N L Benders, Frank van Bel, Karel Allegaert, Gunnar Naulaers, Dirk Bassler, Katrin Klebermaß-Schrehof, Maximo Vento, Ana Vilan, Mari Falck, Isabella Mauro, Marjo Metsäranta, Sampsa Vanhatalo, Jan Mazela, Tuuli Metsvaht, Roselinda van der Vlught, Axel R Franz,
Trials, 2024, vol. 25

Detecting Asymmetry of Upper Limb Activity with Accelerometry in Infants at Risk for Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy Cornelia H. Verhage, Jan Willem Gorter, Tim Takken, Manon J.N.L. Benders, Linda S. de Vries, Niek E. van der Aa, Nienke Wagenaar
Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 2023, vol. 44, p.1-15

Quantification of stress exposure in very preterm infants N. J. Meesters, G. E. van den Bosch, L. J. van het Hof, M. J.N.L. Benders, M. L. Tataranno, I. K.M. Reiss, A. van Kaam, L. Haverman, S. H.P. Simons, M. van Dijk
Early Human Development, 2023, vol. 176

Brain injury and long-term outcome after neonatal surgery for non-cardiac congenital anomalies Mark Aalten, Maria Luisa Tataranno, Jeroen Dudink, Petra M A Lemmers, Maud Y A Lindeboom, Manon J N L Benders
Pediatric Research, 2023, vol. 94, p.1265-1272

Fellowships & Awards

2024: 030-LAB

2021: Ensemble: European Newborn Study: Early Markers for a Better LifE II

2019: Crucial trial

2019: Health Holland ITK

2019: Cerebral blood flow in neonates during major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery

2019: PREMSTEM

2018: Vriendenloterij

2018: Advances in cell-based therapy for the injured newborn brain: optimizing nurture, habitat and momemtum of mesenchymal stem cells

2017: The effects of preterm birth of stress resilience during childhood

2017: consolidator grant Association Brain and Congential heart disease

2016: IGLO Insuline like growth factor levels and outcome in extreme premature infants

2016: Nomination Supervisor of the year award 2016

2015: Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation

2015: Albino

External positions

Consultancy - . - Chiesi