معرفی
Kelly Ickmans is a Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel's Department of Human Physiology and Anatomy, specializing in pain research. She leads interdisciplinary projects addressing chronic pain mechanisms, pediatric pain management, and the neuromusculoskeletal consequences of conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and hypermobility disorders. Her work integrates clinical research, education, and translational approaches to improve rehabilitation outcomes.
Research Focus: Chronic pain pathophysiology, central sensitization, exercise interventions, and pain education for pediatric and adult populations. She has pioneered studies on adrenergic dysfunction in myalgic encephalomyelitis and developed pain science education protocols for cancer survivors.
Collaborations: Active in Belgium and internationally, with projects funded by FWO and university grants. Her teams collaborate across physical therapy, neurology, and pediatrics to address comorbidities like pain-sleep disturbances in childhood cancer survivors.
Grants & Projects: 10+ active/funded projects including:
- Epigenetic mechanisms of exercise-induced pain (2024-2028)
- Pain education for pediatric cancer survivors (PANACEA Study)
- Rehabilitation paradigms for functional abdominal pain disorders
Advising: Supervises 34+ theses and doctoral projects, focusing on clinical research and translational medicine.
