Leuven, Flemish Region, Belgium
Jef Van den Eynde is an Internal Medicine resident and researcher at KU Leuven, Belgium. He has a particular passion for research, which he has started to cultivate since the 1st year of his medical studies. Through experiences in various laboratories, he has gained expertise in a number of research methodologies, ranging from in vitro techniques to clinical studies and meta-analyses. In 2021, Jef served as a Research Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, United States. Nowadays, most of his work is done at the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium, where he is also pursuing a PhD. His doctoral project entitled “The Hidden Scars: Dissecting the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Diastolic Dysfunction and Fibrosis in Fontan Circulatory Failure” at the lab of Prof. Alexander Van De Bruaene is supported by a Predoctoral Fellowship Fundamental Research from the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO). Although he keeps a broad interest in medicine in general, he has committed himself to improving the outcomes of those suffering from cardiovascular diseases. At the age of 26, Jef has already published >200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, served as a reviewer and editor for several journals, and been a speaker at conferences all over the world. His major assets are vision, resilience, and leadership. He is strongly convinced of the power of collaboration and his main goal is to be of service to society wherever he can. As such, he is determined to combine his clinical practice with research and innovation. Feel free to get in touch at any time - via LinkedIn, ResearchGate, Twitter, mail or any other media.
Doctoral training (PhD), Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven Project title: “The Hidden Scars: Dissecting the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Diastolic Dysfunction and Fibrosis in Fontan Circulatory Failure” Supported by Predoctoral Fellowship Fundamental Research awarded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO; 2025–2029; file no. 1102026N)
The diverse research experiences I have had as a Research Intern (see below) have shaped me into a versatile researcher, adept at designing experiments, analyzing data, and contributing to the scientific community. Since 2018, I have been working on my own line of research. My focus has been mainly on cardiovascular diseases, with a particular interest in cardiorenal syndrome, heart failure, congenital heart disease, and structural heart interventions. I have a broad network of fellow researchers, and I am an active member of several collaboratives (such as International Thoracic and Cardiovascular Research Association [ITCVR], Associates for CardioThoracic InvestigatiONs [ACTION], Heart in AI, and AspireMED).
During my time in medical school, I have had the privilege of working in various prestigious laboratories at KU Leuven and the University Hospitals Leuven. These experiences have not only expanded my skill set but also cultivated a scientific mindset necessary for conducting high-quality research. For a more detailed description of each experience, please refer to my Curriculum Vitae (CV). 1. Aug 2017 - Sept 2017: Department of Anesthesiology (Prof. Steffen Rex) I gained my first academic research experience by contributing to a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial investigating the use of Xenon anesthesia in patients at high risk for postoperative organ dysfunction. 2. Aug 2017 - Sept 2019: Laboratory of Abdominal Transplantation (Prof. Jacques Pirenne) Preclinical in vivo studies including a rat model of intestinal ischemia and a pig model of ex vivo liver and kidney perfusion. Retrospective and prospective clinical studies, notably the DHOPE-DCD and HOPE trials. 3. Aug 2018 - Mar 2019: Department of Pediatrics (Prof. Jaan Toelen) Various projects, one of which resulted in my first scientific publication: "YouTube videos as a source of information about immunology for medical students." 4. Sept 2018 - Dec 2022: Laboratory of Experimental Cardiac Surgery (Prof. Wouter Oosterlinck) Various projects, including minimally invasive cardiac surgery outcomes research, evaluation of surgical training models, and preclinical animal models of cardiac disease. 5. May 2019 - Mar 2021: Unit of Vascular Surgery (Prof. Inge Fourneau) Research In vivo models to investigate the effectiveness of antibiotic-coated vascular grafts in preventing infections. 6. Sept 2019 - Feb 2020: Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (Prof. Stefan Janssens) Pharmacokinetic testing of a new compound for coronary vasospasm in a pig model of acute myocardial infarction. 7. Sept 2018 - Jun 2020: Honours Programme, Faculty of Medicine See "Education" and CV for more details.
Rotations in Emergency Medicine, Pulmonology, Medical Oncology and Nephrology
Rotations in Geriatrics, Cardiology, Gastro-Enterology, Nephrology and Endocrinology
The internships below have allowed me to gain invaluable hands-on experience across various medical specialties, honing my skills in patient care and diagnosis. I am grateful for the mentorship and guidance provided by my supervisors, contributing significantly to my growth as a clinician. Aug 2017: Hospital Nursing Internship, Heilig Hart Ziekenhuis, Lier, Belgium Feb 2018 & Apr 2019: Family Medicine Internship (Part I & II), General Practice Dr. Bruno Ariens, Herenthout, Belgium Feb 2022 - Jul 2023: Clinical Internships during Master’s degree * Period 1 (Feb 21 – Mar 27): Gynecology & Obstetrics, AZ Sint-Blasius, Dendermonde, Belgium; supervisor Dr. Kathleen Scharpé * Period 2 + 3 (Mar 28 – Jun 19): Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands; supervisor Prof. Dr. Mark Hazekamp * Period 4 (Jun 20 – Jul 31): Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; supervisor Prof. Dr. Jaan Toelen * Period 5 (Aug 1 – Sept 11): Psychiatry, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium; supervisor Dr. Sofie Verlinden * Period 6+7 (Sept 12 – Dec 4): Internal Medicine (incl. Nephrology, Emergency Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cardiology, and Pulmonology), AZ Sint-Elisabeth, Zottegem, Belgium; supervisor Dr. Elke Van Schoote * Period 8 (Dec 5 – Jan 15): Pediatrics, AZ Sint-Blasius, Dendermonde, Belgium; supervisor Dr. Piet Verlinde * Period 9 (Jan 16 – Feb 26): Internal Medicine (General Internal Medicine – Systemic Diseases), University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; supervisor Prof. Dr. Willy Peetermans * Period 10 (Feb 27 – Apr 9): Internal Medicine (Cardiology & General Internal Medicine – Infectious Diseases), University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; supervisor Prof. Dr. Willy Peetermans * Period 11 (Apr 10 – May 21): Clinical Reasoning Courses + Exam * Period 12 (May 22 – Jul 2): Internal Medicine (Hematology), University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; supervisor Prof. Dr. Willy Peetermans
Consultancy as overseas researcher for statistical analyses of the cardiac surgery and cardiology datasets of LIMR, in collaboration with Profs. Basel Ramlawi, Serge Sicouri, and Michel Pompeu B. O. Sá.