Simone Eussen

Assistant Professor

Dr Simone Eussen's research focusses on the role of nutrition and underlying metabolic and molecular processes in the aetiology of common chronic diseases. She has built a strong track record on B-vitamins, related molecular one-carbon and kynurenine pathways, and chronic diseases during her PhD (Wageningen Universtiy) and post-doc (Bergen, Norway; also supported by a prestigious personal research grant from the Norwegian Research Council). She integrated this expertise to study quality of food intake at Maastricht University. Funds granted by the NWO (BBMRI) and the European JPI (Dedipac) focussed on methodological aspects of dietary assessment.

Her current work involves study of dietary quality (at nutrient and bioactive compound, food group, and dietary patterns level) in relation to chronic disease, including T2DM, CVD and mental disorders. Additionally, she expanded her focus to the emerging field of ‘chrono-nutrition’, and is member of the CIRCLE-DOME (CIRcadian CLock and timing of Eating on Diabetes, Obesity ad MEtabolism) network. Different aspects of dietary timing will be studied in relation to metabolic, cardiovascular and mental phenotypes to gain new insight in the role of chrono-nutrition in common pathologies within the framework of population based studies (for example The Maastricht Study; one of the world’s leading deep-phenotying population-based studies on T2DM and its comorbidities).

Department of Epidemiology
P. Debeyeplein 1, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht
Room number: A2.018
T: +31(0)43 388 24 51

  • 2024
    • Brakenridge, C. J., Koster, A., de Galan, B. E., Carver, A., Dumuid, D., Dzakpasu, F. Q. S., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Savelberg, H. H. C. M., Bosma, H., Owen, N., Schaper, N. C., Healy, G. N., & Dunstan, D. W. (2024). Associations of 24 h time-use compositions of sitting, standing, physical activity and sleeping with optimal cardiometabolic risk and glycaemic control: The Maastricht Study. Diabetologia, 67(7), 1356-1367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-024-06145-0
    • Truin, L. S., Kohler, S., Heger, I. S., van Boxtel, M. P. J., Schram, M. T., Backes, W. H., Jansen, J. F. A., van Dongen, M. M. C. J. M., de Vries, N. K., de Vries, H., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Stehouwer, C. D. A., de Vugt, M. E., & Deckers, K. (2024). Associations of an individual's need for cognition with structural brain damage and cognitive functioning/impairment: cross-sectional population-based study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 224(6), 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2023.159
    • Debras, C., Cordova, R., Mayén, A.-L., Maasen, K., Knaze, V., Eussen, S. J., Schalkwijk, C. G., Huybrechts, I., Tjønneland, A., Halkjær, J., Katzke, V., Bajracharya, R., Schulze, M. B., Masala, G., Pala, V., Pasanisi, F., Macciotta, A., Petrova, D., Castañeda, J., ... Freisling, H. (2024). Dietary intake of dicarbonyl compounds and changes in body weight over time in a large cohort of European adults. British Journal of Nutrition, 131(11), 1902-1914. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114524000503
    • DeJong, N. R., Jansen, J. F. A., van Boxtel, M. P. J., Schram, M. T., Stehouwer, C. D. A., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Koster, A., Eussen, S. J. P. M., de Galan, B. E., Backes, W. H., & Köhler, S. (2024). Brain structure and connectivity mediate the association between lifestyle and cognition: The Maastricht Study. Brain Communications, 6(3), Article fcae171. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcae171
    • Chong, M. Y., Frenken, K. G., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Koster, A., Pot, G. K., Breukink, S. O., Janssen-Heijnen, M., Keulen, E. T. P., Bijnens, W., Buffart, L. M., Meijer, K., Scheer, F. A. J. L., Steindorf, K., de Vos-Geelen, J., Weijenberg, M. P., van Roekel, E. H., & Bours, M. J. L. (2024). Longitudinal associations of diurnal rest-activity rhythms with fatigue, insomnia, and health-related quality of life in survivors of colorectal cancer up to 5 years post-treatment. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 21(1), Article 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01601-x
    • Lear, R., Metcalf, B., Hillsdon, M., Bond, B., Koster, A., Vandercappellen, E., de Galan, B., Berendschot, T. T. J. M., Houben, A., Kooman, J., Kroon, A. A., Bosma, H., Eussen, S. J. P. M., & Pulsford, R. (2024). Associations of between- and within-day patterns of physical activity accumulation with arterial stiffness and indices of microvascular health—Evidence from The Maastricht study. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 34(5), Article e14649. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14649
    • Chong, M. Y., Eussen, S. J. P. M., van Roekel, E. H., Pot, G. K., Koster, A., Breukink, S. O., Janssen-Heijnen, M. L. G., Keulen, E. T. P., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Weijenberg, M. P., & Bours, M. J. L. (2024). Longitudinal associations of circadian eating patterns with sleep quality, fatigue, and inflammation in colorectal cancer survivors up to 24 months post-treatment. British Journal of Nutrition, 131(7), 1166-1180. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114523002714
    • Werkman, N. C. C., García-Sáez, G., Nielen, J. T. H., Tapia-Galisteo, J., Somolinos-Simón, F. J., Hernando, M. E., Wang, J., Jiu, L., Goettsch, W. G., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Koster, A., Schalkwijk, C. G., de Vries, H., de Vries, N. K., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Driessen, J. H. M., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2024). Disease severity-based subgrouping of type 2 diabetes does not parallel differences in quality of life: the Maastricht Study. Diabetologia, 67(4), 690-702. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-023-06082-4
    • van Gennip, A. C. E., Gupta, M. D., Houben, A. J. H. M., Berendschot, T. T. J. M., Webers, C. A. B., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Koster, A., Wesselius, A., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Schalkwijk, C. G., de Galan, B. E., Köhler, S., Schram, M. T., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & van Sloten, T. T. (2024). Retinal microvascular function and incidence and trajectories of clinically relevant depressive symptoms: the Maastricht Study. Psychological Medicine, 1-10. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291724000618
    • Bakker, L., Choe, K., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Ramakers, I. H. G. B., van den Hove, D. L. A., Kenis, G., Rutten, B. P. F., Verhey, F. R. J., & Köhler, S. (2024). Relation of the kynurenine pathway with normal age: A systematic review. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 217, Article 111890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2023.111890