Research expertise

Johan van Griensven (°1972), Medical Doctor (KU Leuven Belgium 1997), Internal Medicine specialist (KU Leuven 2004), PhD Medical Sciences: “Gene therapy of AIDS: Gene transfer of Antiretroviral Genes into Hematopoietic Stem Cells Using HIV-Derived Vectors” (Rega Institute, KU Leuven 2003; FWO scholarship), Masters in Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2010).

Between 2004 and 2014, I worked as a clinician and researcher in Africa—including three years with Médecins Sans Frontières—and in Asia (Cambodia). In 2008, I joined ITM with a post-doctoral grant from the Baillet Latour Foundation to launch clinical research on neglected tropical diseases and their interaction with HIV. Since 2015, I have headed the Unit of Neglected Tropical Diseases at ITM, and in 2021 I was appointed Head of the Department of Clinical Sciences.

My main field of interest is visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and HIV co-infection. I have conducted clinical trials and nested laboratory studies in Ethiopia, most of them embedded in a longstanding scientific capacity-building collaboration. This partnership currently involves the University of Gondar, the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (Addis Abeba), and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI). I also maintain close collaborations with DNDi and MSF. Together, this work has contributed significantly to the recently released WHO guidelines for the management of VL/HIV co-infection.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an emerging focus of my research. My team and I aim to develop less invasive diagnostics and optimize treatment regimens, with a strong emphasis on decentralization and patient-centred care delivered as close as possible to affected communities.

Beyond leishmaniasis, I have led scientific projects in complex outbreak settings. During the 2013–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, I coordinated a large European consortium that conducted a phase II/III clinical trial on convalescent plasma as treatment for Ebola virus disease in Guinea (H2020 funding; ebolatx.eu). I also co-founded ITM’s outbreak research team and currently serve on its steering committee.

I have published extensively in high-impact journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine (4 papers), Nature (2), The Lancet (4), and Lancet Infectious Diseases (13). In 2017, I received the Dubois-Briguéz Prize for research in tropical medicine.

Five key publications

1. Combination therapy for visceral leishmaniasis. J. van Griensven, M. Balasegaram, F Meheus, et al. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2010; 10: 184-94 [JIF: 25.2]
2. HIV-1 protease inhibitors for treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV-co-infected individuals. J. van Griensven, E. Diro, R. Lopez-Velez, et al . Lancet Infectious Diseases 2013; 13: 251-9 [JIF: 25.2]
3. Immunomodulatory therapy of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV coinfected patients.W. Adriaensen W, TPC. Dorlo, G. Vanham, L Kestens, PM Kaye, J. van Griensven. Frontiers in Immunology 2018; 8: 1943 [JIF: 5.5]
4. Long-term clinical outcomes in visceral leishmaniasis-HIV co-infected patients during and after  pentamidine secondary prophylaxis in Ethiopia: a single-arm clinical trial. E. Diro, K. Ritmeijer, M. Boelaert, F. Alves, R. Mohammed, C. Abongomera, R. Ravinetto, M. De Crop, H. Fikre, C. Adera, H. van Loen, A. Tsoumanis, W. Adriaensen, A. Hailu, J. van Griensven. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2018 66: 444-451 [JIF: 9.1]
5. Evaluation of Convalescent Plasma for Ebola Virus Disease in Guinea. J. van Griensven, T. Edwards, X. de Lamballerie, et al. for the Ebola-Tx Consortium. New England Journal of Medicine 2016; 374: 33-42 [JIF: 79.3]

Teaching activities

Teaching assignments include:

• Course director of the short course in clinical research and evidence based medicine (SCREM course https://edu.itg.be/Course/Component/117?typeId=3)
• The teaching of specialized guest lectures
• Supervision of MaNaMa students from the Master in Tropical Medicine (ITM), and predoc and master internationally
• Supervision of PhD candidates
• Jury member on the evaluation committee of the Master in Tropical Medicine (ITM)