The research within NATURELAB is carried out by a team of researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with expertise at the intersection of health, nature, ecology and society. The team works from a transdisciplinary and participatory approach, with collaboration with local partners and community members at its core.

Aniek Woodward works as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where she coordinates a research study in the Tuinen van Brasa for the NATURELAB project. With a background in global mental health, her work explores the relationships between mental health, nature, health inequities, and climate change.

She joined the NATURELAB project mid 2023 with a motivation for learning more about the role of nature in healthcare and being involved in participatory and inclusive research approaches. People may know her from research on refugee mental health and scaling up health innovations. Aniek enjoys regularly going out in nature for walks and bird watching. She is especially interested in sustainable approaches that benefit both people and planet.

Caroline Meier zu Biesen is an Assistant Professor of Transdisciplinary Global Health at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where she works at the intersections of care, ecology, and health. With a background in medical anthropology and sociology, her work explores global epidemics, neglected (often gendered) diseases, and the health impacts of human–environment relations.

She joined the NatureLab project with a motivation to learn collaboratively and support community-led, ecologically attuned approaches to wellbeing. People may know her from conversations on planetary health, transdisciplinary research, or community-based workshops. Enthusiastic about being in nature, she enjoys exploring local landscapes and nature-based solutions, while also reflecting critically on human–nature relationships. She is especially interested in approaches that view nature as an integral, co-constitutive part of health rather than merely a resource.

Maartje Asscheman left her office job in sustainability in 2023 to work more closely with nature, driven by the belief that true sustainability comes from a deeper, human connection with the natural world. Through her practice Gegrond, she guides (meditative) nature and foraging walks, with a strong focus on reconnecting people with nature.

She is involved in the NATURELAB project through the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the role of assessor. In this role, she supports participants throughout the research process, particularly during the registration and screening phases, and assists them in completing questionnaires.