Leuven, Flemish Region, Belgium
Clinical data gathering to build a database aiding in future research and quality evaluation.
Research into optimalisation of transplantation of abdominal organs. This includes gathering of quality markers and tissue samples during human transplantations.
Over the course of more than 600 hours, I got to know the ins and outs of the University Hospital of Leuven and helped support its immensely important and outstanding patient care. My modest role in the leading hospital, has taught me skills and knowledge not covered in my education and instilled in me an appreciation for everyone who makes quality care possible at UZ Leuven. In this period I worked in all sorts of departments ranging from general to specialized internal medicine and surgical wards, the post anesthesia care unit, the emergency department...
Research into heart transplantation and heart failure.
Research into preservation methods for heart donors after circulatory death is important to optimize the quality of cardiac transplantations. In this research static cold storage is compared to, thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion (TA-NRP) and hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion following direct procurement. This research was done on a porcine model. My responsibility lied primarily on analysis of mitochondrial function using high resolution respirometry. Additionally, I assisted surgically and all-round wherever I could make myself useful. This includes anesthesia, peroperative assessment of cardiac function, controlling extracorporeal circulation, Langendorff perfusion of the heart... Additionally I assisted in other activities in the department of cardiovascular sciences.
Visiting several hospitals to obtain informed consent from patients and gather clinical data for research into creation of surge capacity in case of mass casualty events or crowding.
Vertegenwoordiging en belangenbehartiging in de Vlaamse Onderwijsraad en aan andere stuurgroepen, werkgroepen, raden etc.