Hasselt University
General Information
Hasselt University brings together several research groups for the IMr Blue Zone project:
- the Sports Medicine Research Center (SMRc)
- Research Group Healthcare and Ethics (H&E)
- Research Group on Health and Rehabilitation Psychology (HRP)
- Research Group Rehabilitation in Cardiorespiratory and Internal Diseases (CRI)
- UHasselt Research on Innovative and Society-engaged Education (U-Rise).
SMRc and H&E are part of BIOMED (Faculty of Medicine & Life Sciences), while HRP and CRI are embedded in REVAL (Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences). Together, they study lifestyle, physical activity, nutrition, psychosocial interventions, and chronic cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart failure, and pulmonary diseases. Their work also addresses stress, chronic pain, fatigue, and mental health, using clinical and large-scale population studies with experimental, translational, and applied approaches to improve health outcomes across populations.
U-Rise, part of the School of Educational Studies, focuses on education and knowledge translation. It develops evidence-based curricula, training modules, and practical tools to build lifestyle knowledge and preventive health skills among students, healthcare professionals, and the wider community. Innovative teaching methods ensure research findings are applied effectively to promote healthier behaviours and improve public health.
Following team members shape the blue zone project at the province Limburg (B):
Bert Op't Eijnde
Ine Nieste
Anouk Agten
Hanne Kindermans
Katleen Bogaerts
Chris Burtin
Role in the interreg blue zone project
Hasselt University is the lead partner of the IMr Blue Zone project, responsible for coordinating all partners and ensuring smooth collaboration across the project. This includes organising regular meetings, monitoring progress, and aligning activities across all work packages.
Workpackages 1 & 2
UHasselt designs and coordinates the study protocols for Workpackages 1 & 2. Across the four Meuse-Rhine regions, 1000 participants will be recruited to assess cardiometabolic health, mental health, and lifestyle behaviours, with a focus on physical activity. In close collaboration with the project partners, UHasselt also developed a physical activity program to be implemented in all regions, aiming to increase activity levels and compare changes in health outcomes. This work will generate evidence on effective strategies to improve physical activity and overall health.
Workpackages 3 & 4
For Workpackages 3 & 4, UHasselt implements the protocols developed by the project partners and provides input to further refine the study design. The work focuses on differences in health-related curricula for future healthcare providers and the practices of current professionals. The data will support cross-regional comparisons and offer insights into how education and professional practice can promote preventive health.
More information about us as a IMR-blue zone partner:
https://www.uhasselt.be/en/instituten-en/biomed-en