Winners of the 2026 De Snoo Awards announced

During the 2026 Symposium, the De Snoo Awards were presented to Dr Melek Rousian (Erasmus MC), MSc Yousif Dawood (Amsterdam UMC) and MD-PhD Fieke Terstappen (UMC Utrecht). They received the awards for innovative research plans that contribute to the future of human embryology, reproductive medicine and prenatal care.

The 2026 Senior Grant was awarded to Dr Melek Rousian (Erasmus MC, pictured on the right) for her project Revolutionizing first-trimester detection of cardiac abnormalities. With this €40,000 grant, she will be able to further develop her research plan; the winner also receives €1,000 for personal use. In her project, Rousian explores novel imaging techniques to improve the detection of cardiac abnormalities in the first trimester and thereby enhance clinical practice.

Junior Grants

Two Junior Grants were also presented. MSc Yousif Dawood (Amsterdam UMC) received a Junior Grant for VITA: Virtual Imaging and Tissue Analysis in Pregnancy Loss. MD-PhD Fieke Terstappen (UMC Utrecht) received a Junior Grant for Beyond COVID-19 Vaccines: Lipid NanoParticles to Safely Treat Preeclampsia and Fetal Growth Restriction. Both Junior Grants amount to €15,000, with an additional €1,000 for personal use.

Symposium theme

The winners presented their plans during the symposium, which took place on 17 April 2026 and focused on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in reproductive medicine. The programme addressed topics including AI in prenatal decision-making, fetal monitoring, preeclampsia, genomics and infertility care.

With the presentation of the 2026 De Snoo Awards, the foundation once again affirmed its commitment and dedication to innovative research at the intersection of science, clinical practice and future care for mother and child.