prof. dr. M.J.N.L. (Manon) Benders
Full Professor
- Birth Center Neonatology - Medical

Contact
Biography
Education
2008 finished fellowship Neonatal Neurology (Prof dr. Linda de Vries)
2006 Pediatrician- Neonatologist (prof. dr. Frank van Bel)
1999 PhD, Leiden University, the Netherlands (prof. dr. Margot van de Bor)
1996 Bachelor of Medicine, Leiden University, the Netherlands
Research line
Her research focuses on neonatal neuro-imaging. These techniques appear to give the opportunity to detect subtle differences, which are helpful in predicting neurodevelopmental outcome and evaluating of neuroprotective/neuroregenerative strategies to reduce brain injury, which is the other part of her research. She is supervising several PhD students and clinical research fellows, working in different national and international research projects, focusing on neonatal neuro-imaging and neuro-protective and regenerative strategies.
Most recent key publications
1: Benders M, Palmu K, Menache C, Borradori-Tolsa C, Lazeyras F, Sizonenko S, Dubois J, Vanhatalo S, Hüppi PS. Early Brain Activity Relates to Subsequent Brain Growth in Premature Infants. Cereb Cortex. 2014 May 27. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24867393.
2: van den Heuvel MP, Kersbergen KJ, de Reus MA, Keunen K, Kahn RS, Groenendaal F, de Vries LS, Benders M. The Neonatal Connectome During Preterm Brain Development. Cereb Cortex. 2014 May 15. pii: bhu095. [Epub ahead of print] PubMedPMID: 24833018.
3: Benders M, van der Aa NE, Roks M, van Straaten HL, Isgum I, Viergever MA, Groenendaal F, de Vries LS, van Bel F. Feasibility and safety of erythropoietin for neuroprotection after perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. J Pediatr. 2014 Mar;164(3):481-486.
4: Benders M, van der Aa NE, Roks M, van Straaten HL, Isgum I, Viergever MA, Groenendaal F, de Vries LS, van Bel F. Feasibility and safety of erythropoietin for neuroprotection after perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. J Pediatr. 2014 Mar;164(3):481-486.
5: Dubois J, Benders M, Cachia A, Lazeyras F, Ha-Vinh Leuchter R, Sizonenko SV, Borradori-Tolsa C, Mangin JF, Hüppi PS. Mapping the early cortical foldingprocess in the preterm newborn brain. Cereb Cortex. 2008 Jun;18(6):1444-54
Side Activities
Member of the Core team Brain, research theme UMC Utrecht
Member of the Core Team Child Helath, research theme UMC Utrecht
Member of the Programma Committee Dynamics of Youth, representative UMC Utrecht
Figurelead of the foundation 'Gezond Geboren'
Member of the Dutch/Flemish Society of Neonatal Neurology, former Chair from 2012-2016
Member Society of Pediatric Research
Member European Society of Pediatric Research
Member of the section Council Brain and Development, from 2014 to 2019
Member Dutch society of Pediatrics (NVK): Neonatology; neonatal neurology, neonatal hemodynamics
Member of the European Neonatal Brain Club
Former Member of the committee Dutch Ministry of Health Committee: ‘Pregnancy and delivery: a good start’.
Fellowship and Awards
Funding as Principal Investigator
1991 Leids Universitair Fonds: International Foundation for Student Research Projects: ‘Cardiac and Cerebral Doppler-sonography in Neonates’. University of California Los Angeles, Verenigde Staten (€20K)
2005 NSCK reward: Registry ‘Severe Hyperbilirubinemia in Neonates in the Netherlands.’ (NSCK, surveillance) (€10k)
2006 “Ter Meulen Fonds”, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Netherlands, Clinical Research Fellowship. Supervisor: Prof. P.S. Hüppi, University of Geneva, Switzerland (€50k)
2006 International Pediatric Research Foundation (IPRF): exchange program Young Investigator Fellowship of the ESPR, for Clinical Research fellowship Geneve, Prof. P.S. Hüppi, University Geneva, Switzerland (€20k)
2009 The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO): program ‘early evaluation of medical innovation’: ‘Perinatal allopurinol trial for reduction of birth asphyxia induced brain damage’. Co-PI with Obstetrician: Dr. J.B. Derks (PhD: Joepe Kaandorp) (€150k +€50K UMCU)
2009 Alexandre Suerman Stipendium: ‘Reference ranges for the lateral cerebral ventricles of newborn infants’ (PhD: Margaretha Brouwer) (€75k +€50k UMCU)
2009 Catherijne Foundation: MRI of preterm infants: prediction of neurodevelopmental outcome (€200k)
2010 Univeristy Medical Center Utrecht / Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital Foundation: ‘Maturation dependent vulnerability of the Brain and Outcome of Preterm Infants assessed by MRI’ (PhD: Karina Kersbergen) (€150k+€50k UMC)
2011 International Foundation initiated by University Medical Centre Utrecht ‘MRI-biomarkers of Outcome and Perinatal Brain Injury in Neonates with Congenital Heart Disease’ (€50k)
2013 Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Province and Municipality of Utrecht, Utrecht University and the University Medical Center Utrecht: ‘The Nutri-brain project: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a nutritional supplement on brain integrity in preterm infants’. (€2.5m)
2016 Nutricia research: fetal and neonatal MRI in youth cohort utrecht. 200.000 euro. Elise Turk
2018 Crucial trial: : CeRebrUm and CardIac protection with ALlopurinol in neonates with congenital heart disease requiring neonatal cardiac surgery.zonMW 80-84800-98-42022 (1.6 mljn). National RCT. Prinicipal investigator.
Funding as Co-Investigator
2008-2010 European project Framework VI: ‘NEOBRAIN Neonatal estimation of brain damage risk and identification of neuroprotectants’ LSHM-CT-2006-036534, contract Nr 036534. Member of the MRI workpackage. (€2.3m)
2009 Ministero della Salute – Direzione Generale della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica. ‘Early identification of newborns at high risk of brain injury through a valida- ted biomarkers profile and specific neuro-imaging patterns. A follow up study of clinical and neurodevelopmental outcome in a large cohort study’. (PI Prof G. Buonocore, University Siena.) Co-applicant, co-supervised 3 PhD students. (€800k)
2011 European study: ‘SafeBoosC: Safeguarding the brain of our smallest children: randomised, blinded, multinational (10 countries), phase II feasibility clinical trial on near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring combined with defined treatment guidelines versus standard monitoring and treatment as usual in premature infantsconsortium’. Neuro-imaging work package leader. (€1.2m)
2012 – 2020 The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). ‘Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to regenerate the neonatal brain’ (Co-PIs Prof Annemieke Kavelaars and Prof Linda de Vries). Co-applicant and neuro-imaging workpackage leader. (€1.7m)
2012 Grant Health Insurance company: Nuts-Ohra: ‘Neuromonitoring during neonatal surgery, and evaluating brain injury with MRI and long-term outcome’. (PI Petra Lemmers). Co-applicant, supervised PhD student: Lisanne Stolwijk. (€160k+50k)
2013 Irish Medical Research Council: ‘Automatic analysis of brain injury in MRI of asphyxiated infants’. Co-applicant supervised post-doctoral Fellow (Dr Keelin Murphy). (€100k)
2013 Univeristy Medical Center Utrecht / Wilhelmina Children’s hospital Foundation: ‘White matter injury of the preterm infants’, animal experimental study.’ (PI Dr Cora Nijboer). Supervised PhD student: Erik van Tilborg (€150k +€50k UMCU)
2014 Univeristy Medical Center Utrecht / Wilhelmina Children’s hospital foundation: ‘Anatomical brain networks and its functional dynamics in neonates : a biomarker for cognitive outcome’. (PI Dr Martijn van de Heuvel). Supervised PhD student: Kristin Keunen (€150k+€50k UMCU)
2016 IGLOInsuline like growth factor levels and outcome in extreme premature infants: Brain foundation. The Next Step HA2016-02-04. (co-applicant) (€480.000)
2016 Univeristy Medical Center Utrecht / Wilhelmina Children’s hospital foundation:
The effects of preterm birth of stressresilience during childhood. WKZ foundation.
(co-applicant) €150.000 Femke Lammertink
Research Output (274)
Duerden Emma G, Grunau Ruth E, Chau Vann, Groenendaal Floris, Guo Ting, Chakravarty M Mallar, Benders Manon, Wagenaar Nienke, Eijsermans Rian, Koopman Corine, Synnes Anne, Vries Linda de, Miller Steven P 21 okt 2020, In: Neurology. 95 , p. e3420-e3427
Annink Kim, V, Groenendaal Floris, Cohen Daan, van der Aa Niek E., Alderliesten Thomas, Dudink Jeroen, Benders Manon J. N. L., Wijnen Jannie P. 1 aug 2020, In: Pediatric Research. 88 , p. 279-284 6 p.
Annink K V, van der Aa N E, Dudink J, Alderliesten T, Groenendaal F, Lequin M, Jansen F E, Rhebergen K S, Luijten P, Hendrikse J, Hoogduin H J M, Huijing E R, Versteeg E, Visser F, Raaijmakers A J E, Wiegers E C, Klomp D W J, Wijnen J P, Benders M J N L 30 jul 2020, In: American Journal of Neuroradiology. 41 , p. 1532-1537 6 p.
van Heerwaarde Alise A, van der Kamp Laura T, van der Aa Niek E, de Vries Linda S, Groenendaal Floris, Jongmans Marian J, Eijsermans Rian J C, Koopman-Esseboom Corine, van Haastert Inge-Lot C, Benders Manon J N L, Dudink Jeroen 6 jul 2020, In: PLoS ONE. 15
van Beek Pauline E, Claessens Nathalie H P, Makropoulos Antonios, Groenendaal Floris, de Vries Linda S, Counsell Serena J, Benders Manon J N L 7 mei 2020, In: The Journal of Pediatrics. 223 , p. 57-63.e5
Stevenson Nathan J, Oberdorfer Lisa, Tataranno Maria-Luisa, Breakspear Michael, Colditz Paul B, de Vries Linda S, Benders Manon J N L, Klebermass-Schrehof Katrin, Vanhatalo Sampsa, Roberts James A 5 mei 2020, In: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. 7 , p. 891-902 12 p.
Tataranno M L, Gui L, Hellström-Westas L, Toet M, Groenendaal F, Claessens N H P, Schuurmans J, Fellman V, Sävman K, de Vries L S, Huppi P, Benders M J N L 7 apr 2020, In: Early Human Development. 144 8 p.
Ouwehand Sabine, Smidt Lisanne C A, Dudink Jeroen, Benders Manon J N L, de Vries Linda S, Groenendaal Floris, van der Aa Niek E 1 apr 2020, In: Neonatology. 117 , p. 411-427 17 p.
Dijkshoorn Aicha B C, Turk Elise, Hortensius Lisa M, van der Aa Niek E, Hoebeek Freek E, Groenendaal Floris, Benders Manon J N L, Dudink Jeroen 24 mrt 2020, In: Scientific Reports. 10 , p. 5283 1 p.
Annink Kim V, de Vries Linda S, Groenendaal Floris, Vijlbrief Daniel C, Weeke Lauren C, Roehr Charles C, Lequin Maarten, Reiss Irwin K M, Govaert Paul, Benders Manon J N L, Dudink Jeroen 1 mrt 2020, In: Pediatric Research. 87 , p. 59-66 8 p.