YSPR Design Research Workshop. Today, we introduce Céline Didderen
Céline Didderen graduated as a researcher and neuropsychologist at Maastricht University in 2024. A coffee meeting during her final internship in Utrecht led her to apply for her current PhD position studying cognitive impairment after stroke, where she aims to bridge the gap between neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and neuropsychology.
What do you hope will be the most important outcome of your work?
I hope my work contributes to optimizing stroke aftercare for cognitive outcomes, from hospital admission to long-term societal participation. Ultimately, I would love to see cognitive recovery recognized as just as important as physical recovery after stroke.
What are the next steps for your project after ESOC?
Following ESOC, the priority is completing patient inclusion for the pilot study I am presenting. I hope that feedback from colleagues at ESOC will provide valuable insights to inform a potential larger-scale version of this study in the future.
Who has influenced your career the most so far?
Definitely my team! The knowledge and support of my supervisors have broadened my understanding of the field enormously, and continue to inspire me to pursue a long-term career combining research with clinical work as a neuropsychologist.
What keeps you motivated during difficult phases of research?
I remind myself that my drive to become a researcher comes from a genuine curiosity about the brain and behavior, particularly following damage to the brain. Even when research sometimes involves less enjoyable tasks, that curiosity is what keeps me going.
Why are meetings like ESOC important for early career researchers?
Meetings like ESOC offer early career researchers the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues who have spent many years in the field. I think engaging with people from different backgrounds and perspectives (beyond your own colleagues) is invaluable for sharpening your research projects. And in my experience, these conversations almost always spark new ideas too.
ESOC is Europe’s leading forum for advances in research and clinical care of patients with cerebrovascular diseases. ESOC 2026 will live up to its expectation, and present to you a packed, high quality scientific programme including major clinical trials, state-of-the-art seminars, educational workshops, scientific communications of the latest research, and debates about current controversies. Learn more.
