Nele Adriaenssens

Nele Adriaenssens is a Researcher in Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) with additional affiliation at UZB (Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel) in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Research. She maintains an active research profile with 108 research outputs and an h-index of 9 according to Scopus metrics.

Dr. Adriaenssens' research expertise centers on oncology rehabilitation with specific focus areas:

• Breast cancer rehabilitation and survivorship
• Lymphedema prevention and management
• Interactions between body composition, physical activity, and cancer treatment outcomes
• Personalized physiotherapy interventions in palliative oncology care
• Exercise oncology and its role in mitigating treatment side effects

Her publication trends reveal a strategic research trajectory focused on optimizing rehabilitation protocols for cancer patients. Recent work demonstrates increasing emphasis on personalized approaches that consider individual patient characteristics like body composition to improve treatment tolerance and quality of life. She has developed significant expertise in paclitaxel toxicity management and the role of exercise in reducing adverse effects of cancer treatments.

Dr. Adriaenssens has received notable recognition for her contributions:

• Best Oral Award (2021)
• Green Impact Award VUB (2019)
• Preventie in de kinesitherapie: oncologie (2024)

She actively supervises students and leads multiple research projects including the PHYSIO-PAL study examining physiotherapy in palliative cancer care, and research on pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in relation to physical activity and body composition. Her work consistently involves interdisciplinary collaboration with oncologists, pharmacologists, and rehabilitation specialists to bridge clinical practice with research evidence.

Dr. Adriaenssens is developing innovative approaches to integrate physiotherapy into comprehensive cancer care pathways, with particular attention to co-creation methods that ensure interventions are relevant and effective for patients receiving palliative care.