One of the world's leading experts in rheumatology and outcome assessment, Professor Désirée van der Heijde has served as a visiting professor at the REMEDY Center since 2024.
She is Professor of Rheumatology at Leiden University Medical Center. The hospital is located in the western part of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.
After earning her medical degree in Nijmegen and completing her PhD on disease activity and outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis, she built a career that has shaped how inflammatory rheumatic diseases are evaluated and treated. Désirée van der Heijde
Van der Heijde is internationally recognized for developing methods to measure disease activity and progression. She played a key role in the development of the Disease Activity Score DAS for rheumatoid arthritis and the Sharp van der Heijde radiographic scoring method, both of which are now considered global gold standards and are used by regulatory authorities such as the EMA and the FDA. Under her leadership, numerous other validated instruments have been developed, including ASDAS, RAQoL, ASQoL, MASES, the ASAS Health Index and the mSASSS.
Her work has influenced international recommendations and clinical trials, and she has authored more than 1,100 scientific publications. She has received numerous awards, including the Carol Nachman Award, honorary membership in EULAR and the ACR Distinguished International Rheumatology Professional Award in 2024. 
Désirée van Heijde at REMEDY's annual retreat 2025
We had the opportunity to ask her some questions:
What motivated you to accept the position as a visiting professor at REMEDY?
What do you hope to contribute to the centre, and what do you hope to gain from this collaboration?
I have been in close collaboration with many of the researchers at Diakonhjemmet Hospital since 2007. This collaboration has always been very stimulating and enjoyable. The new structure of REMEDY has largely professionalized the research and created significant opportunities to strengthen it further. It has been wonderful to see this growth over the years. I greatly admire what this relatively new and young team has accomplished. It is a pleasure to be part of the group and now to hold an official position at the University of Oslo.
Looking back at your career, which study or scientific breakthrough do you consider a milestone, one that significantly shaped the field of rheumatology?
How did that work influence later clinical practice or research worldwide?
For me, there are two milestones, both already part of my PhD thesis: the development of the DAS and the modified Sharp score. These made it possible to standardize the assessment of disease activity and structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis. They also paved the way for evaluating the efficacy of all the new drugs developed for RA.
In addition, the development of the ASDAS, the DAS for axial spondyloarthritis, made it possible for the first time to demonstrate the long hypothesized but previously unproven link between inflammation and new bone formation in axial spondyloarthritis.
Mentorship is an important part of your academic life. What advice do you most often share with young researchers?
How do you balance being a role model, a mentor and an active researcher yourself?
I truly enjoy mentoring, and with experience, it has become even more rewarding. My main advice is: "Try to do what you enjoy, not what will simply improve your CV." I have seen many people strive for a particular position or goal, and if they fail, they become very frustrated. Sometimes even if they succeed, the outcome does not live up to their expectations. However, if you enjoy the work along the way, that frustration is likely to be less. Enjoy the journey and don't focus too much on the destination.
In your view, what makes international collaboration like the one with REMEDY essential for advancing research?
What differences and similarities do you see between approaches to research in Norway and the Netherlands?
Collaboration is very important, both nationally and internationally. Working across countries enriches the research experience by bringing in different perspectives. Even in relatively similar countries such as Norway and the Netherlands, health care systems are organized differently and standards of care vary. This raises questions about why these differences exist and which approaches may be most effective.
For example, the ARCTIC study began with curiosity about differences in the use of ultrasound in daily clinical practice.
With such a demanding career, how do you find time to unwind and recharge outside of work?
I really enjoy cooking and baking. It is completely relaxing for me. I also love traveling and, most importantly, spending time with my family. I have always tried to work very efficiently, putting in long hours during the day and working while travelling, to free up time for leisure when I am at home.
