Wendy Meulebroeck

Wendy Meulebroeck is a Professor and post-doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). She leads the 'optical spectroscopy' research unit under B-PHOT Brussels Photonics, chaired by Prof. Hugo Thienpont. Her work focuses on three core areas: bio photonics for healthcare and animal model replacement, food safety, and archaeometry. She holds a PhD in Applied Sciences (2004) and a degree in Electrotechnical Engineering with Photonics from VUB (1998).

• Education:
  • PhD in Applied Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (2004)
  • Electrotechnical Engineering (Photonics), VUB (1998)
  • Mathematics-Sciences, Royal Athenaeum Deurne (1993)

Research Interests: Wendy’s research integrates photonics across interdisciplinary fields. Her bio photonics work aims to develop non-animal testing models, while food safety projects focus on optical sorting and quality control. Archaeometry involves spectroscopic techniques for cultural heritage preservation. She coordinates projects like the liver-on-a-chip system (FWOTM1150) and photonics innovation (IOF3019).

Recent Contributions: Publications span tunable light sources, SERS sensors, and opto-acousto-fluidic chips. Her work bridges lab-scale innovations with industrial applications, emphasizing reproducibility and practical implementation.

Grants & Collaborations: Active in EU-funded projects (e.g., HERC65, HERC55), leading interdisciplinary teams. Collaborations include institutions like the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and industry partners for photonics applications.

Labs/Teams: Part of B-PHOT’s Optical Spectroscopy unit and the GEAR initiative driving photonics innovation. Her lab develops portable optical systems for in situ cultural heritage analysis and biomedical applications.