Jacques Hens

Dr. Jacques Hens serves as Professor of Innovation Laboratory and Point of Care Technology at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences' Research Centre Innovations in Care. Concurrently, he holds clinical roles as medical leader of the clinical chemical and haematological laboratory at Groene Hart Hospital and trainer for clinical chemistry with Erasmus MC.

His academic foundation includes a Medical Biology degree from Utrecht University (1990) and a PhD in Medicine (1994) focusing on neurotransmitter release mechanisms in learning and memory. Career milestones feature his 1997 transition to laboratory medicine, pioneering self-managed anticoagulation therapy at Hofpoort Hospital (2001-2009), and ongoing clinical leadership since 2009.

Hens' research confronts healthcare accessibility challenges through democratized diagnostics. His work prioritizes developing sustainable, user-friendly point-of-care tests for non-expert use in home/community settings, specifically targeting:

• Green laboratory diagnostics infrastructure
• Automation of complex testing processes
• Patient-controlled monitoring systems
• Molecular biology applications in decentralized settings
• Thrombosis management innovations
• Integration of diagnostics into general practice workflows

He actively shapes national standards through NHG/NVKC/NVMM/SAN working groups on laboratory diagnostics and serves as an Accreditation Council subject matter expert. His research group maintains strong educational ties with the Biology and Medical Laboratory Research program, emphasizing practical implementation of diagnostic technologies to alleviate healthcare resource constraints.