Geert Jan Biessels

Geert Jan Biessels is a Full Professor at University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), affiliated with the strategic program Brain Circulatory Health. His research focuses on vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and small vessel disease (SVD), leveraging advanced MRI techniques like 7T and 3T imaging to improve diagnosis and treatment. He leads initiatives such as the META VCI MAP consortium and the ZOOM@SVDs study, exploring lesion-symptom mapping and small vessel function. He is actively involved in global networks like STRIVE and HARNESS, and has pioneered methods for detecting cerebral microinfarcts in vivo.

Key research areas include MRI biomarker development, cognitive impact of vascular lesions, and translational strategies for personalized medicine. His work spans clinical trials (e.g., COGNIKET on ketogenic supplements for MCI) and interdisciplinary collaborations in neurology, cardiology, and AI-driven diagnostics.

• Awards: 2015 European Stroke Organisation Senior Investigator Award, 1999 Neurodiab Prize, and Royal Society Fellowship.
• Advisory Roles: Chair of the COGNIKET trial steering committee.
• Lab/Teams: META VCI MAP (lesion-symptom mapping), ZOOM@SVDs (small vessel structure/function).