The Best New Serious Game Designer award is organised yearly by Saganet, the Dutch network for serious gaming professionals. On 10 April 2026, Rosan Kreeftmeijer-Vegter (EATRIS Scientific Lead Rare Diseases and Regulatory Advisory) was awarded first place for her work designing REPURPOLIS, a game created to make the process of drug repurposing more accessible and engaging.
EATIRS is proud to highlight Rosan’s achievement and share more about the now award-winning game REPURPOLIS, a serious game focused on drug repurposing—where players collaboratively bring a medicine from idea to patient.
The aim is to make the complex landscape of drug development tangible and understandable by letting people experience it, rather than just explaining it. Importantly, it combines learning with fun, energy, and interaction.
Rosan recounts her experience at the SAGANET awards:
“It felt like a very special recognition from professionals who actively design and work with serious games.”
What impact has the game had … so far:
- More than 800 participants have played the game
- Integrated into several Master’s programs and summer schools
- Used in workshops across Europe
- Featured at the ZonMW conference for healthcare professionals
- A dedicated version has been developed for ATMPs (cell & gene therapy) with FAST
- A special case on colchicine was developed together with the FAST team and the Goed Gebruik Geneesmiddelen (GGG) team at ZonMW
Beyond the numbers, what stands out most is the experience:
Sessions are characterised by a lot of energy and fun, which strongly enhances engagement and learning. Participants consistently report that they learn a lot in a short time, that complex processes become much clearer, and that the game sparks meaningful discussions that normally don’t happen. In addition, the game has been shown to be a great team-building tool, and sessions regularly lead to new connections and collaborations between participants and EATRIS.
- Learn more about REPURPOLIS here.
