During my studies, I conducted research at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital on the optimal timing for palatal closure in children with a cleft palate, as part of the CLEFED study. In this study, children underwent palatoplasty at the age of 6 or 12 months. Primary outcome included postoperative complications, growth, feeding difficulties, and chewing function. Besides, I was involved in establishing the Utrecht Cleft Cohort (UCC), a cohort study that enables research into factors influencing treatment success and the quality of life in both the short and long term for cleft palate patients. Currently, I am coordinating the DeCompression (DECO) trial, a randomized multicenter trial into the surgical treatment of compression neuropathies in the lower extremities in patients with diabetes. Approximately half of diabetes patients experience neuropathic symptoms, often caused by high blood sugar levels but aggravated by compressed nerves. These compression neuropathies significantly impact the daily lives of patients. Consequently, my PhD research primarily focuses on the quality of life and cost-effectiveness of this treatment.