Dr. Virissa Lenters is an Assistant Professor in environmental epidemiology. She received her MSc and PhD in epidemiology from Utrecht University (Registered Epidemiologist B). She investigates how plastic and chemical pollution impact maternal and child health. She is active within national and EU-funded projects researching the health risks of microplastics and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. She also investigates disparities in exposure to pollution and factors that promote resilience and susceptibility to environmental insults. She has published >50 peer-reviewed articles; her first-author articles have been cited an average of >70 times to date; and her publications have been cited by >80 policy documents (by ECHA, EFSA, WHO, IARC, RIVM, the Health Council of the Netherlands, US CDC, US EPA, etc). Her teaching and societal engagement more broadly address public health, exposome science, and planetary health.
dr. Virissa Lenters
Selected projects
FLES: Fed with a side of microplastics: interventions to reduce plastic exposure via infant formula and human milk (ZonMw-funded; main applicant; 300k euro; 2023-2025)
AURORA: Actionable European roadmap for early-life health risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics (EU-funded; co-applicant; 6 mil. euro; 2021-2026)
FREIA: Female reproductive toxicity of EDCs: a human evidence-based screening and identification approach (EU-funded; 2019-2024)
PFAS lichaamsbelasting van lacterende vrouwen: de verspreiding in Nederland (VU & Amsterdam UMC & RIVM; 2024-2026)
Various courses: Gezondheid en Leven (Bachelor-level)
Epidemiology for Toxicologists (post-graduate)
Qualification: University Teaching Qualfication (UTQ) / Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs (BKO)
- The Health Council of the Netherlands (Gezondheidsraad) | The Hague | Member of the Subcommittee on the Classification of Reproduction Toxic Substances | 2024-01-01 - present
Ancillary activities are updated daily
