معرفی
Prof. dr. Veerle SOMERS is an Ordinary Professor and Dean of Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Hasselt. She leads the Department of Immunology & Infection and the Immunology & Infection Research Group within the Biomedical Research Institute. Her research focuses on autoimmune diseases, particularly Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), with an emphasis on antibody biomarkers and immune mechanisms. She has supervised 18 PhD students and led over 55 research projects. Key areas of investigation include B cell dysfunction in MS, biomarker discovery for early diagnosis, and therapeutic targets in inflammatory diseases. Her work spans clinical and translational research, including studies on immune regulation and patient stratification.
Research interests include adaptive immunology, autoimmunity, and musculoskeletal disorders. Recent studies highlight novel antibody biomarkers for predicting therapy response in RA and axSpA, as well as the role of IgD-CD27- B cells in aging and MS progression. She has contributed to clinical trials evaluating treatments like ocrelizumab and dimethyl fumarate, and pioneered studies on photobiomodulation for radiation dermatitis in cancer patients.
Prof. SOMERS coordinates courses in genetics, immunology, and biomedical research. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates clinical, molecular, and epidemiological data to advance personalized medicine strategies for autoimmune and neurodegenerative conditions.
