Puberty

It’s been a while now, but you probably remember all the uncertainty and new feelings during puberty. Everything changes, from body hair and acne to infatuation and sexuality. Maybe your puberty was easy, or maybe it was terrible. Your child is at the beginning of puberty right now, but since your own puberty a lot has changed in terms of social media, openness about gender identity or contraception. Your own experiences are therefore not always something you can fall back on in conversations with your (budding) adolescent. Therefore, in this blog we want to discuss scientific developments related to puberty. We will discuss topics such as addiction and the influence of gaming on brain development, inhibitors of puberty and the future of contraception. This way, you are up to date with the latest scientific news, which hopefully makes that awkward conversation with your teenager a little easier!

Marieke Blom

Hi, I am Marieke! I have always wanted to know how our body works and how diseases can arise when something is not working properly. I learned a lot about this during my Biomedical Sciences studies in Utrecht. What I like even more than learning is explaining what I have learned to other people. That is why I am currently working on becoming a biology teacher! For my students, puberty is a topic that is very relevant, but also super awkward to talk about. With our blog we want to give information about different topics within puberty, to make it discussable for both adolescents and their parents.

Nine Gerrits

Hi, I am Nine, a 23-year-old master’s student interested in both science and communication. After happily completing my bachelor’s degree in biology, I have chosen to delve more deeply into the brain. Our brain is the most complex organ of the human body. And it can certainly become complex when the brain goes through different stages of development, such as puberty. This period can be difficult for parents and adolescents alike. Therefore, we would like to give you a hand with some fun but useful information about puberty! Stay tuned through our blog and see you soon!

Kelly Rademakers

Hi, I’m Kelly! During my bachelor Biology it quickly became clear to me that I find the brain and behaviour super interesting. With my current study I am researching how the brain works, but I find it especially important to share this knowledge! Adolescence is of course a period full of changes, in both your brain and your behaviour. Through this blog I will give you more information about some of my main interests: sexuality, your body and the influence of hormones. In this way, I hope to support the important conversations you will have about this with your adolescent!

Marijke Stokkel

Hi, I am Marijke. I am currently studying Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences, but I always tell my friends and family that I am studying cell biology. I find the complexity of the cell fascinating and I like to share my enthusiasm about this with other people. Many of the complicated processes in our bodies are regulated by hormones. During puberty, of course, a lot changes when it comes to hormones. In most cases, these hormonal changes do not lead to major problems, but sometimes something goes wrong and then diseases or disorders can develop. It is for the latter that I would like to draw more attention.

Tessa Vreeman

Hi, I’m Tessa – if I don’t know something, I’m the one who immediately looks it up on the internet. I am very curious about everything related to the human body. Through my studies in Biomedical Sciences I have learned a lot about this and seen how fascinating we are. It may sound complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Do you want to know what (bio)medical changes take place in the adolescent body? We write a blog with news from science about puberty.

Group 1 – Communicating Science with the Public