Leonardo Gucciardo

Leonardo Gucciardo is a Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), affiliated with the Observational Clinical Sciences program. He serves as a Physician at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZB) and collaborates with institutions like KU Leuven, Erasmus University College Brussels, and the ULB network. His research spans congenital diaphragmatic hernia, fetal therapy, preterm birth, and maternal-fetal medicine.

• Education: MD and Ph.D. in Genetics, Reproduction, and Development

His research interests focus on prenatal diagnostics, fetal lung vascularization, congenital infections (e.g., CMV), and maternal health. He leads the KOZI&Home program for reduced postnatal hospital stays and co-developed an Integrated Care Simulation Center for perinatal training. Recent work includes MRI-based fetal weight estimation and studies on maternal body composition during parenthood.

Scientific Awards:

• Recipient of WFWG 2016 funding for fetal pathology genomics.

He has supervised Master's and doctoral theses on topics like Group B Streptococcus screening, uterocervical angle effects, and prenatal diagnostic software. Collaborations include Medical Genetics departments (Prof. Dr. F. Hes) and clinics for diabetes, radiology, and neonatology.