In the Science Speaks series, we talk to our researchers about their work—what they are proud of, the challenges they face, and the passion that drives them. We delve into why they chose for research, and why they decided to do their research at PDPC. In each episode, we also explore how their research could impact and is relevant for society.

In this first episode, we speak with Jordy van der Beek and Maarten Boonekamp, both researchers in our Front Runner 1 (FR1) project. When asked to elaborate on the research focus of FR1, Jordy explained:

“In FR1, we study the effects of climate change on vector-borne diseases, and we try to incorporate as many aspects of climate change as possible.”

One of FR1’s major projects is currently ongoing in the Eendragtspolder, a water buffer area located north of Rotterdam, designed to store excess water during periods of heavy rainfall. The research team is planning a controlled water storage event in the summer of 2025 to study its impact on mosquitoes, birds, and rodents—organisms that can contribute to making a landscape more prone to the spread of pathogens. The aim of this inundation experiment is to explore how such environments can be developed or adapted to minimize the potential risk of pathogen transmission.

When asked to imagine their research with an unlimited budget, Jordy and Maarten highlight the importance of living labs—real-world, well-designed systems like the one at Eendragtspolder— which provide invaluable opportunities to replicate experiments in a structured and realistic setting.

Watch the full episode below.

Stay tuned—more episodes of Science Speaks are coming soon!