Nagelhout has a background in Communication Science and a PhD in Health Promotion. Her PhD thesis was on the impact of smoking bans on smokers and I graduated cum laude. She has published more than 70 international peer-reviewed scientific articles. Nagelhout works at Maastricht University for one day a week and as Chief Science Officer of IVO Research Institute for four days a week. Her research projects focus on health, wellbeing and addiction among people with a low socioeconomic position.