Irene Taurino is an Assistant Professor (tenure track) in the Faculty of Engineering Science at KU Leuven, affiliated with the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT). She leads the Laboratory of Electrochemical Materials and Bio Interfaces (eMATI), focusing on nano- and microtechnologies for biomedical applications. Her work emphasizes developing advanced electrochemical systems for therapeutic and sensing purposes, including biodegradable platforms and stretchable substrates. Research Interests: Electrochemistry, Nanotechnology, (Bio)sensing, Drug delivery, Bimetals/Metal Oxides, and Smart materials. Projects include HumiPlast (plant transpiration sensors), QuantPAH (firefighter health monitoring), and TALENT (thin-film deposition technologies). She holds leadership roles in Leuven One Health, LIMNI, and the Plant Institute. Advising & Grants: Promotes/Co-promotes 10+ projects on biosensors, CO2 electroreduction, and smart farming. Key roles in funding initiatives like EU Horizon and industry partnerships. Labs/Teams: Heads eMATI, fostering interdisciplinary research in bioelectronics and soft materials. Emphasizes creativity and translational research from fundamental science to practical applications.
Christophe Meunier is a researcher specializing in hybrid materials, particularly focusing on biohybrid systems that integrate biological components with inorganic matrices. His work emphasizes environmental applications and biomedical innovations through advanced material design. Key Collaborations: Su, B. L., Michiels, C., Wang, L. Research Themes: Photosynthesis mimicry, cell therapy microcapsules, hybrid alginate-TiO₂ systems Research Focus: Meunier has pioneered the biomimicry of photosynthesis via biosystem immobilization in silica matrices, aiming to create 'living materials' with functional biological-inorganic interfaces. His recent projects explore alginate@TiO₂ hybrid microcapsules for controlled insulin delivery and cell therapy applications, demonstrating high biocompatibility and stability. Academic Contributions: With 34 research outputs spanning material science, biomedical engineering, and environmental applications, Meunier's work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals through innovative hybrid material design. His collaboration network includes experts in chemistry, physics, and medical fields.
Pedro Fardim is a Professor at the KU Leuven , affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering , and leads the Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Technology and Safety (CREaS) division. He also serves as President of EPNOE (European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence) and is a member of multiple institutes including KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI) , Institute for Single Cell Omics (LISCO) , and Institute for Micro- and Nano-scale Integration (LIMNI) . PhD in Chemistry, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil Habilitation in Chemical Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Finland Pedro’s research focuses on topochemical engineering —mimicking natural bioassembly processes in trees and microorganisms to create sustainable materials and biofabrication technologies . His work spans drug delivery , regenerative medicine , biopolymer engineering , and green chemistry , with applications in pharmaceuticals , cosmetics , and energy . Recent projects include hydrogels for wearable sensors , biohybrid materials for bone tissue engineering , and lignin valorization using hydrotropic solvents. His scientific awards include Fellowships from the Royal Society of Chemistry and the International Academy of Wood Science , along with membership in the American Chemical Society . He teaches Chemical Engineering for Human Health , Biochemical Process Engineering , and Biopolymer-based Sustainable Technologies .
Uwe Himmelreich is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven , leading the Biomedical MRI unit. He is actively involved in the Medical Imaging Division , KU Leuven Brain Institute , KU Leuven Institute for Integration of Micro- and Nano-scale Technologies , and KU Leuven Cancer Institute . Role: Full Professor and Head of Biomedical MRI Affiliations: Faculty of Medicine, Medical Imaging Division, LBI, LIMNI, LKI His research spans neuroscience , cardiovascular imaging , and nano/micro-scale technologies . Key projects include: MindMAP: Radiotherapy-induced neurotoxicity in juvenile brains Preclinical cancer models for oral tumors Quantitative T2 mapping of lung disease in murine models Neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in cryptococcosis Resistance training effects on cortical thickness in aging cohorts His work integrates MRI , multi-photon microscopy , and novel contrast agents for longitudinal in vivo studies. Methodologies include vascular density mapping , proton therapy verification , and preclinical radiotherapy evaluation . Notable contributions include: 2025: JAK/STAT inhibition in malaria-induced inflammation 2025: Manganese-enhanced MRI for cardiac injury 2025: Quantitative lung imaging at 9.4T 2024: IVIM as vascular density marker in rat brain 2024: Phase-change ultrasound agents for proton therapy
Prof. Xing Yang is a Professor at KU Leuven's Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals (ISM2), leading the Process Engineering for Sustainable Systems (ProcESS) research group. His work focuses on developing membrane-based technologies for sustainable resource recovery and environmental protection, with strong emphasis on metallurgical and wastewater applications. His research centers on advanced membrane engineering for separation processes, particularly membrane distillation, electrodialysis, and solvent extraction-based systems. Key interests include designing stimuli-responsive membranes, optimizing ion-selective transport, and developing energy-efficient processes for metal recovery from end-of-life batteries and industrial waste streams. His work bridges materials science, chemical engineering, and environmental sustainability to address critical resource scarcity challenges. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a dominant focus on lithium and transition metal recovery through electro-driven membrane processes. He pioneers innovations in membrane architecture – including macrocycle-based channels, zwitterionic coatings, and PVDF modifications – to achieve unprecedented selectivity in complex matrices. His research consistently targets industrial applicability, with demonstrated applications in battery recycling, wastewater valorization, and CO 2 capture systems. The ProcESS research group operates within KU Leuven's Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, collaborating across metallurgy, environmental engineering, and materials science disciplines. Their work integrates experimental membrane fabrication with process modeling to develop scalable solutions for circular economy implementation in resource-intensive industries.
Prof. Dr. Wouter Van Gompel is an Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) at Hasselt University's Faculty of Sciences, leading the Hybrid Materials Design (HyMaD) research group. His work focuses on designing hybrid materials for optoelectronics, particularly low-dimensional hybrid perovskites. He holds a PhD from Hasselt University (2019) and completed postdoctoral research at EPFL and the University of Cambridge, supported by FWO and BOF grants. Education: Master in Chemistry, Ghent University (2015) PhD in Chemistry, Hasselt University (2019) Research Interests: Hybrid perovskite design and synthesis Optoelectronic applications (solar cells, photovoltaics) Charge transfer dynamics and energy funnelling Material stability and structural engineering Organic-inorganic interfaces Grants & Projects: FWO-SB PhD grant (2015–2019) FWO-SBO project collaboration with imec and Belgian universities (postdoc) BOF postdoctoral mandate (2022) Current projects include optoelectronic materials for neuromorphic computing and solar cells Teaching & Supervision: Coordinating lecturer for courses like Fundamentals of Materials Chemistry and Hybrid Materials and Functional Interfaces Supervising PhD students in areas like perovskite stability, chirality, and neuromorphic applications Labs & Groups: Head of HyMaD expertise group at Hasselt University Collaborates with IMOMEC institute and international labs
Patrick Wagner is a full professor at the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven), affiliated with the Faculty of Sciences and the Department of Physics of Soft Matter and Biophysics. His research focuses on biosensors, soft matter physics, and nanotechnology, often intersecting with biomedical and environmental applications. Head of the Department of Physics of Soft Matter and Biophysics Member of Leuven One Health and LIMNI institutes Active in interdisciplinary projects involving sensor development and biophysical systems His current projects include PFAS contamination monitoring, thermally responsive biosensors, and advanced electrode systems for lab-on-chip integration. While no explicit awards or students are listed in the provided text, his publications highlight collaborations across Europe and involvement in clinical, environmental, and materials science domains. Recent works emphasize electrochemical sensing, molecular imprinting, and temperature-driven cell adhesion techniques.
Dr. Laurence Lutsen is a Strategic Research Manager at IMEC-IMOMEC and Project Manager at UHasselt-MATCHEM, affiliated with Hasselt University in Diepenbeek, Belgium. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Montpellier II (1994) and has over 200 peer-reviewed publications with an H-index of 56 and over 10,900 citations. Her research focuses on designing and synthesizing novel semiconductors for organic and hybrid electronic devices, including solar cells, transistors, sensors, and light-emitting diodes. **Education:** PhD in Chemistry, University of Montpellier II (1994) Postdoctoral research at the University of Kent (1995) Joined Limburgs Universitair Centrum (now UHasselt) in 1997 **Research Interests:** Her work emphasizes organic and hybrid semiconductor materials, particularly layered hybrid perovskites, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), and photovoltaic technologies. Key areas include optimizing material stability, charge transport, and device performance in applications like solar cells and biosensors. She explores advanced synthesis techniques and defect engineering to enhance material reliability. **Labs & Teams:** Lutsen leads research initiatives at IMOMEC and MATCHEM, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects involving materials chemistry, nanotechnology, and device fabrication. Her contributions bridge fundamental material science and applied optoelectronics.
Heidi Ottevaere is a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) since October 1, 2009. She serves as the head of the Instrumentation and Metrology platform at the Photonics Innovation Center and leads the 'biophotonics' research unit of the Brussels Photonics Team (B-PHOT), which is chaired by Prof. Hugo Thienpont. Her work focuses on the design, fabrication, and characterization of photonic components and systems for diverse applications in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial processes. Dr. Ottevaere earned her Electrotechnical Engineering degree with majors in Photonics from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 1997 and completed her PhD in Applied Sciences at the same institution in 2003. Her doctoral research focused on 'Refractive microlenses and micro-optical structures for multi-parameter sensing: a touch of micro-photonics.' Professor Ottevaere's research spans multiple cutting-edge areas of photonics with particular emphasis on biophotonics, micro-optics, and optical metrology . Her work bridges fundamental science with practical applications, developing novel photonic components and systems that address real-world challenges. She has pioneered research in miniaturized optical systems for medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial applications. Her current research focuses on advancing lab-on-a-chip technologies, microfluidic optical sensors, and novel optical fiber systems for biomedical applications. She has developed microminiaturized, integrated plastic detection units for absorbance and laser-induced fluorescence measurements in microfluidic channels, enabling portable, robust, and disposable diagnostic systems. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward integrated optical sensing systems with applications in medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. There's a clear progression from fundamental optical component design to complete system integration, with increasing emphasis on artificial intelligence for data analysis and computational imaging techniques. Her work bridges photonics with biomedical engineering, materials science, and data science, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of modern photonics research. Dr. Ottevaere has been recognized with several prestigious awards: Best Application award (2008) Educational award - Bronze (2019) MOC09 Contribution Award Winners (2009) As an educator and mentor, Professor Ottevaere has promoted 9 PhD students and supervised numerous master's theses. She has secured substantial research funding from diverse sources including the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT), and multiple European Framework Programs. Her current portfolio includes projects on miniaturized biosensors for drinking water screening, precision manufacturing, and photonics education initiatives in Uzbekistan. She has coordinated multiple strategic research and networking projects with regional, national, and international funding bodies. Professor Ottevaere leads the biophotonics research unit within the Brussels Photonics Team (B-PHOT), one of Europe's leading photonics research groups. Her team includes researchers working on optical metrology, micro-optics fabrication, and biophotonic applications. She collaborates extensively with industry partners including Melexis, Umicore, and Anteryon, as well as academic institutions across Europe through various EU-funded projects. She has been instrumental in developing the interuniversity engineering curriculum 'Master in Photonics' which received the EC Erasmus Mundus quality label in 2006, and continues to be the driving force behind photonics education at VUB.
Kristel Bernaerts is a Professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Sciences within the Department of Chemical Engineering, leading research in Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Technology and Safety (CREaS). She serves as Program Director for POC Safety Engineering and holds multiple leadership roles including membership in the Faculty Council of Engineering Sciences and the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work. Faculty of Engineering Sciences Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Technology and Safety (CREaS) iSi Health - KU Leuven Institute for Physics-based Modeling Her research focuses on microbial biotechnology with emphasis on oral microbiome engineering, biofilm dynamics, and chemical process safety. Key areas include probiotic delivery systems for periodontal treatment, microbial reactor optimization, and safety engineering for biological products. She develops innovative technologies like slow-release devices for oral probiotics and electrospinning-based encapsulation methods. Recent publications reveal strong trends in oral biofilm modulation (65% of 2023-2025 works), microbial community engineering (25%), and safety/risk analysis (10%). Her work bridges fundamental microbial ecology with clinical applications, particularly in periodontitis treatment and probiotic delivery. As an active supervisor, she mentors PhD candidates including Loverdou, N. and Bäcker, L.E. across interdisciplinary projects spanning chemical engineering, dentistry, and synthetic biology. Her current €15M+ research portfolio includes: EU-funded MICROTUNe platform for bioprocess optimization (2024-2030) Probiotic dry toothpaste development (2024-2027) Wood-eating beetle microbiome valorization (2023-2027) AI-driven antivirulent protein design (2024-2028) She leads the POC Safety Engineering program and contributes to chemical engineering education through courses on process safety, reactor engineering, and analytical chemistry.
Charlotte Martin is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium. With a PhD in Organic Chemistry (2013) and Master of Science in Biomolecular Engineering (2010) from Université de Montpellier, she specializes in peptide chemistry, hydrogel synthesis, and GPCR signal transduction. Her work bridges biomaterials and pharmacology for advanced drug delivery systems. Research Interests: Peptide hydrogels for controlled drug release GPCR allostery and peptidomimetic development Neuropeptide-based pain treatment Biomaterial engineering via self-assembly Molecular design of agonists/inhibitors Applications in nanomedicine and immuno-PET imaging Scientific Contributions: Developed injectable supramolecular hydrogels (FWOSB194 project) Engineered β-arrestin peptidomimetics for GPCR modulation (FWOTM1170) Collaborated on single-domain antibody applications with VUB-UGent and VUB-EPFL alliances Scientific Awards: Dr. Bert & Elizabeth Schram Award (2022) ESMI Best Oral Presentation (2020) 3× Poster Presentation Awards (2018–2022) MOCS Conference 3rd Place Best Poster (2021) Expertise Trends: Publications (113+) focus on peptide hydrogels (49%), GPCR peptidomimetics (44%), and nanomaterial applications. Collaborations span Belgium (VUB, UGent), France (Université de Montpellier), Switzerland (EPFL), and Japan (Kanazawa University).
Houman Zahedmanesh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Science. His work focuses on electromigration reliability in nano-interconnects, leveraging machine learning and AI to address thermal hotspots in semiconductor systems. He leads projects like the 2025-2029 BEOL thermal management initiative and contributes to computational materials science research. Current Affiliation: KU Leuven, Faculty of Engineering Science Department: Mechanical Engineering Research Focus: Electromigration, nano-interconnect reliability, AI-driven materials analysis Research Interests: Dr. Zahedmanesh's research bridges materials science and electrical engineering, with emphasis on: Electromigration-induced failure in copper interconnects Thermal gradient effects on electronic reliability Machine learning applications for predictive material modeling Microstructure-aware simulations in nanotechnology Hybrid physical-statistical frameworks for semiconductor reliability Publication Trends: Recent works demonstrate his expertise in AI-driven materials analysis (2025), microstructure modeling (2024), and multiphysics simulations of electromigration (2023). His research aligns with KU Leuven's focus on computational materials science and nanotechnology.
Koen Vandewal is Full Professor and Chair of Physics at Hasselt University (Belgium), where he leads the Organic Optoelectronics research group. He obtained his PhD in Physics at Hasselt University in 2009, followed by postdoctoral positions at Linköping University (Sweden) and Stanford University (USA). Before joining Hasselt in 2018, he held an endowed professorship at TU Dresden (Germany). His research solves fundamental questions in organic, hybrid and molecular electronics for applications in devices like OLEDs, solar cells, and sensors. Key research themes include: Organic photovoltaic physics and material stability Light-matter interactions in optical microcavities Nanoscale assembly of donor-acceptor systems Advanced characterization of quantum dot photophysics Recent publications focus on overcoming efficiency limits in transparent photovoltaics, understanding excitonic disorder in organic semiconductors, and developing printed sustainable transistors. He has supervised numerous PhD students through the OOE research group.
Nathalie Caron is a researcher with a Doctor of Science degree from Université de Mons (UMons), awarded in 2007. Her research focuses on nephrology and metabolic disorders, particularly obesity-induced kidney disease mechanisms. She serves as Principal Investigator on projects examining renal lipid accumulation, AMPK signaling pathways, and adipose tissue biology. Her research interests center on: Kidney lipid metabolism and lipotoxicity Sex differences in renal diseases AMPK pathway activation in metabolic disorders Adipose tissue physiology and glucose homeostasis Experimental models of nephropathy Recent publications (2021-2023) demonstrate her work in lipidomics, aristolochic acid nephropathy, and therapeutic exercise interventions. Her articles frequently appear in journals including Biology of Sex Differences , Nature Communications , and Frontiers in Medicine . She actively participates in academic activities including thesis examinations and international conferences such as the ERA-EDTA Congress. Her work contributes to Sustainable Development Goals related to health and wellbeing.
Nicolas Reckinger is a researcher actively contributing to graphene-based technologies, with a focus on surface properties, oxidation dynamics, and sensor applications. His work spans collaborations across institutions and projects, emphasizing materials science and nanotechnology. Key projects: FSR-Cofin: Bioinspired aesthetic coatings for watchmaking (2019-2021), Graphene-driven revolutions in ICT and beyond (FP7 Flagship, 2014-2016), and Chemical modification of graphene-based low-dimensional structures (2011-2014). Research interests include: Graphene synthesis and modification Surface morphology and electronic properties Oxidation-resistant coatings Metamaterials and quantum fluctuations Hydrogen sensor development Ultra-thin silicon photodiodes Recent publications highlight advancements in graphene transfer techniques, superhydrophobicity, and copper oxidation protection. His collaborations include teams in Belgium and international partners, with applications in ICT, sustainability, and sensor technologies.
