Prof. Marjolein Drent is Professor Emeritus of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ild) at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, and a Guest Senior Researcher at the ILD Center of Excellence, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. She served as President of WASOG (2014-2017) and is currently Emeritus President. She is a member of De Witte Raven, a network of (retired) physicians who support general practitioners in managing complex or unresolved medical issues. She is also the creator of the podcast Adembenemende gesprekken (in-depth conversations with passionate healthcare professionals and experts by experience). She has (co-)authored over 500 scientific papers and book chapters. Her main research interests include sarcoidosis, fibrotic lung diseases, drug-induced ild, quality of life, fatigue, and work participation, with a strong emphasis on patient-centered care.
Prof. Drent has (co-) supervised more than 16 PhD candidates. Over the past decades, she has been actively involved in postgraduate education, including the organization of international courses and congresses, guideline development, clinical trials, and patient education programs. From 2012 to 2024, she served as Editor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. In addition, she has acted as associate editor, co-editor, and guest editor for several international journals, including special issues on sarcoidosis. She is the founder and chair of the ild care foundation, dedicated to improving awareness, education, and care for patients with ILD, including sarcoidosis and occupational and environmental lung diseases. She is an honorary member of Sarcoidose.nl (the Dutch Sarcoidosis Patient Association) and co-founder and advisory board member of the Dutch Pulmonary Fibrosis Society.
In 2012, she was nominated for the World Sarcoidosis Person of the Year Award (Dublin, Ireland) in recognition of her work on the psychological impact of sarcoidosis on patients and their families. She is an ambassador for Compassion for Care and the Youth Smoking Prevention Foundation. In 2016, she was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau by Royal Decree. In 2022, she received the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Lifetime Achievement Award ILD (Assembly 12) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the ILD field. In 2023, she was awarded the FSR Sarcoidosis Crystal Award for Excellence in Research and Clinical Care and was appointed Honorary Member of the ERS. Most recently, in June 2024, she received the Professor Swierenga Medal for exceptional contributions to healthcare, science, and the societal advancement of lung disease in the Netherlands.