Agnes is professor by special appointment of Chemicals and Planetary Health. She combines her work at the Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) with her position as senior scientific staff member at the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Agnes has special interest in the fate/toxicokinetics, effects and risks of chemicals in the environment and for human health, improving chemical safety, sustainability and circularity and ensuring regulatory preparedness to anticipate future developments.
Agnes enjoys interdisciplinary research and to contribute from a scientific perspective to socially relevant topics. Working from oversight by taking into account the broader perspective, such as what is happening in policy and society in order to focus research and communication.
After her study Molecular Sciences at the Wageningen University, Agnes did her PhD at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS) at the Utrecht University (UU). She subsequently started as staff member at the RIVM.
Agnes has been acting as senior scientist and project leader in projects on the presence, exposure and health risks of nanomaterials and advanced materials. For example on the health risk of TiO2 and SiO2 from food. Or PFAS in food contact materials. She also contributed to ad-hoc projects on potential health risks of PFOA and rubber infill. The last years, the focus has shifted to safety, sustainability and circularity, for example to the early identification of potential issues or to develop approaches and work forms to address this in the innovation stage.
Agnes contributes to national projects as well as to European projects. She also is an expert for international organisations such as EFSA, ECHA and OECD.
Agnes is senior scientific staff member at the Department Safe technological Innovations and Circular Economy (VIC) of the Center for Safety of Substances and Products (VSP) at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Agnes is member of the cross-cutting working group on nanomaterials of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). She is co-lead of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Steering Group on advanced materials.