Judith van Gestel

Judith van Gestel is a researcher at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine. Her work focuses on kidney transplantation and related immunological aspects with significant contributions to understanding graft outcomes and immunological compatibility.

Her primary research interests include:

• Kidney Transplantation
• Kidney Graft
• Living Donor Transplantation
• Graft Survival and Failure
• HLA Antibodies and Mismatches
• Antibody-Mediated Rejection

Dr. van Gestel's research examines the complex relationship between immunological factors and transplant outcomes. Her work often investigates how specific HLA mismatches, donor-specific antibodies, and donor characteristics affect kidney graft survival. She has conducted multicenter analyses examining the impact of repeated HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 mismatches on graft outcomes, and how donor kidney age interacts with pretransplant antibodies to affect survival rates.

Her research portfolio demonstrates particular attention to highly sensitized recipients and age-related patterns in transplant outcomes, with studies showing that antibody-mediated rejection incidence plateaus late after transplantation and contributes less to graft loss in older recipients. She has also contributed to innovative approaches for increasing kidney exchange options within existing living donor pools.

Dr. van Gestel collaborates extensively with leading transplant centers across the Netherlands, working with colleagues on studies that bridge clinical practice and immunological research to improve kidney transplant outcomes.