Celebrating progress and embracing brilliant failures on the MOCIA Consortium Day
Written by Yolanda Kooijmans
On Tuesday September 30th, members of the MOCIA consortium gathered in Amersfoort for a day of reflection, inspiration, and connection. With engaging presentations, milestone achievements, and a refreshing perspective on what it means to โfail forwardโ, the day offered both insight and encouragement for MOCIA researchers to make a real-world impact across different disciplines.
Driving impact through co-creation and simplicity
Dinant Bekkenkamp, on behalf of Alzheimer Nederland, opened with a clear message: impactful dementia research starts with co-creation: working alongside patients, carers, and professionals to ensure relevance and real-world value. Their mission focuses on improving quality of life and ensuring practical implementation of research outcomes.
Dinantโs key message in making impact? โKnow your goalsโ. Impact isnโt just about innovation. Itโs about usability, sustainability, and partnerships. He emphasized the shift from โimpact pushโ to โimpact pull,โ where the needs of the target group guide development. โSometimes they just need a small orange triangle, not a giant square,โ he joked, reminding us that relevance and reach of societal impact often lie in simplicity.
Two standout examples show this in action: the โHoud je brein gezondโ e-training (read the paper here) and the book โWijzer over geheugenโ. For more implementation strategies, visit dempact.nl. Furthermore, you can find support from Alzheimer Nederland and connect with fellow dementia researchers via their website and the Dutch Dementia Researchers LinkedIn group.
Key updates across MOCIA Work Packages
The MOCIA consortium celebrated major milestones across all work packages (WP).
- WP1 celebrated the completion of the FINGER-NL study, the successful PhD defense of Lion Soons (MOCIAโs first doctorate) and the start of its extension study with over 900 participants;
- WP2 advanced its machine learning models for personalized cognitive risk and published key papers;
- WP3 shared the first findings from the HELI study, focusing on inflammation and blood flow in the brain;
- WP4 advanced the โSchouderklopjeโ eHealth app, integrating user feedback and wearable tech for personalized lifestyle support;
- WP5 focuses on dissemination, supported by stakeholder input and a renewed impact strategy.
Insights in Action: What our PhDs and Postdocs are exploring
A huge thanks to our PhD and postdoc researchers who brought forward insights that showcased the depth and cross-over across all MOCIA work packages. Hilde van Tuinen in WP1 analyzed nutritional supplement use in the FINGER-NL study. Wouter Kant reviewed LIBRA dementia risk scores in WP2. Jim Smit, postdoc in WP2, introduced a machine learning model to identify individuals who benefit most from lifestyle interventions. For WP3, Aina Casademont Roca studied the effect of blueberries and blackberries on inflammation in in-vitro intestinal cells. Lianne Remie analyzed neuroimaging and gut health data in the COMBI trial with colon-delivered multi-vitamins. Lastly, in WP4, Lara Siering presented the MOCIA toolkit, focusing on user-friendly, personalized health data visualizations to improve engagement.
Failing forward: Why brilliant mistakes matter
In a dynamic workshop, Prof. Dr. Paul Iske, self-proclaimed Chief Failure Officer, challenged us to rethink failure as a vital part of learning. โIf we knew what we were doing, we wouldnโt call it researchโ, he joked, setting the tone for a session that blended humor and personal reflection.
Paul introduced the concept of Brilliant Failures: well-intentioned, well-prepared efforts that donโt succeed but still offer valuable insights. Using 16 archetypes, he encouraged us to recognize patterns and learn from such failures. From squirrel bridges used by just one squirrel to highway experiments that ended in nuisance, his examples were both amusing and eye-opening. Ultimately, the workshop was a call to action: embrace failure as a first attempt in learning. He advocated for a cultural shift, one where failures are documented, shared, and even celebrated.
Overall, this day reminded us that progress in research is not only measured by success, but also by the courage to learn from setbacks. From co-creation strategies to brilliant failures, the event showcased the importance of relevance, simplicity, and resilience in driving societal impact.
