Team

Ann Raes is a pediatric nephrologist at Ghent University Hospital. She received her initial medical and pediatric nephrology training at Ghent University. Professor Raes her specialities are incontinence problems in children and adolescents, renal transplantation in children, congenital anomalies of the urinary tract, and chronic kidney diseases.  She is a member of various professional associations including the Belgian Society of Nephrology, the European Society of Paediatric Nephrology. Professor Raes is a reviewer for three pediatric journals, has presented different papers at national and international meetings and has authored and co-authored several publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Pauline De Bruyne graduated in medicine (MD degree) and subsequently specialized in pediatrics at Ghent University Hospital where she was board certified as pediatrician in 2011. Pauline followed additional training in clinical pharmacology at the Dutch Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmacy during her residency. Currently, Pauline is employed as clinical and research fellow pediatric pharmacology and toxicology at The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, she will come back to Belgium in September 2015 after which she foresees to complete and defend her PhD thesis.

Siska Croubels is full professor and head of the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University. She is associate member of the European College of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology. Her research in pharmacology focuses on veterinary pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, the residues of veterinary drugs in several animal species and on the development of suitable animal models for drug research. Her research group in veterinary toxicology is member of the MYTOX platform, dealing with the effects of mycotoxins on human and animal health.

Veterinarian Mathias Devreese is employed as postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University. Besides, he is resident of the European College of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology. For his PhD thesis, which Dr Devreese successfully defended in 2013, he has been working on the development of methods to quantify xenobiotics (veterinary drugs and mycotoxins) in animal matrices. His scientific interest lies in pharmaco- and toxicokinetic modelling of these xenobiotics. Mathias is also resident of the European College of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Elke Gasthuys graduated as pharmacist (PharmD) at Ghent University in 2013. During her studies she gained a keen interest in different aspects of drug development, pharmacokinetics and clinical trials. Elke started her PhD studentship at the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University in 2014. She is responsible, under supervision of professor Croubels and Dr Devreese, for the development of a porcine juvenile animal model for PK-PD drug testing.

Jan Van Bocxlaer graduated as pharmacist (PharmD) in 1986 and received his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences in 1992, both at Ghent University. He has been professor in pharmacy at his alma mater since 1997. Since 2010, professor Van Bocxlaer is head of the department of Bioanalysis and he became dean of the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2014. His research activities are represented in two major research lines: pharmacokinetics in specific patient populations (particularly children in all developmental states) and optimal intraperitoneal chemotherapy in peritoneal carcinomatosis. Professor Van Bocxlaer is promotor of 12 PhD theses, author of 145 scientific presentations, 128 scientific publications in peer reviewed journals (A1) receiving 1670 citations, 5 book chapters, 35 conference proceedings, 151 conference abstracts, and editor of 1 book. Besides, professor Van Bocxlaer is chairman of the Belgian society for Mass Spectrometry.

After graduating in pharmacy (PharmD) at Ghent University, Huybrecht T’jollyn started his PhD studentship in the field of mechanism-based pharmacokinetic research at the same university. Huybrecht is involved in investigating propofol pharmacokinetics in children as well as aid in the design of upcoming pediatric clinical trials.

Robin Michelet graduated with great distinction in bio-science engineering (chemistry and bio-process technology, MSc degree) at Ghent University in 2014. During his studies he developed a passion for model-based problem solving, which he has applied on a variety of distinct fields. This inspired him to apply for his PhD studentship at the Laboratory for Medical Biochemistry and Clinical Analysis. Robin is responsible for the development and application of bottom-up and top-down modelling tools in pediatric pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic research, with focus on propofol, ciprofloxacin, desmopressin and lisinopril.

An Vermeulen graduated in pharmacy (PharmD) and obtained her PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, both at Ghent University. Professor Vermeulen has been employed at Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. since 1992 where she currently leads the Parmacological Modelling group withing Model Based Drug Development (MBDD). Besides, she is guest professor in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ghent University. Professor Vermeulen authors numerous peer-reviewed publications and she supervises PhD students within our consortium.

Peter De Paepe, a board certified specialist in internal and emergency medicine, is head of the emergency department of Ghent University Hospital. He obtained his PhD in pharmacology in 2000. Besides, professor De Paepe is certified clinical pharmacologist and holds a position as professor in clinical pharmacology at the Heymans Institute of Pharmacology at Ghent University. His research focuses on clinical toxicology and on pharmacology in critically ill patients. Within our consortium, professor De Paepe is appointed as supervisor of Pieter De Cock in work package V: ‘Altered drug disposition and effect in pediatric critical illness’.

Pieter De Cock is a hospital pharmacist at the Ghent University Hospital, with special expertise in drug dosing on neonatal and pediatric intensive care. In 2010 he started a training program in clinical pharmacology organised by the Dutch Society for Clinical Pharmacy & Biopharmacy (to be completed in 2015). Since end 2011 he combines his clinical tasks with a PhD program within the field of pediatric clinical pharmacology. His current PhD research project, funded by the Ghent University Hospital Research Fund, encompasses the multicenter study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in critically ill neonates, infants and children (supervisor: prof dr. P. De Paepe). In this context, he performed in 2014 a 7-month research fellowship in PK-PD modelling at the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, the Netherlands (co-supervisor: Prof. O. Della-Pasqua). Within the SAFEPEDRUG project, he is involved in work package V: ‘Altered drug disposition and effect in pediatric critical illness’.

Sarah Desmet obtained a master degree in pharmaceutical sciences in 2012 and graduated as a hospital pharmacist in 2014 at Ghent University. During her master thesis ‘Disposition of cefazolin and vancomycin in critically ill children’ she developed a great interest in paediatric drug research. In April 2015 she started her PhD study at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Heymans Institute of Pharmacology (Ghent University), under the supervision of Prof. P. De Paepe. Her research focuses on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in critically ill neonates and children (WP 5).