Projects per year
Personal profile
Research expertise
Katja Polman is an epidemiologist and heads the Unit of Medical Helminthology within the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. She also has a position as associate professor within the Section of Infectious Diseases at the VU University in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She has a university training in Medical Biology and Parasitology and a Master in Epidemiology, and did her PhD at the Leiden University on the diagnosis and epidemiology of schistosomiasis. Since then she has been working in the field of neglected tropical diseases. Her research interests and expertise lie in the field of parasite epidemiology, with focus on helminth (co)infections and associated diseases.
Research lines
(Eco-)epidemiology, transmission dynamics, diagnosis and control of schistosomiasis and other human helminth infections
Helminth co-infections: interactions with other infections (eg. polyparasitism) and diseases (eg. allergy, malnutrition), and how these shape disease patterns and control.
Teaching expertise
Katja Polman teaches in various institutional postgraduate and master courses, as well as in university master courses, and is involved in coaching of MSc/PhD students. Main teaching topics are on parasites/helminths, neglected diseases, epidemiology and statistics.
@ITM: Master in Public Health Master of Public Health MPH: Modules Advanced statistics, NTD control, MSc thesis coaching; Postgraduate in Tropical Medicine and International Health TMIH: Module Vector-borne diseases; Postgraduate in Tropical Medicine for Bachelors in Nursing & Midwifery TMED: Module Helminthiases; Short course Molecular Epidemiology/Molecular Data for Infectious Diseases MID: Module Epidemiology.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Looking through the right lens: a syndemic framework for HIV disease
Bal, N. (PhD Student), Polman, K. (Promotor), Van Leth, F. (Promotor) & Hoekstra, T. (Promotor)
14/11/24 → …
Project: PhD-project
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The impact of nutrition and infection on child growth in Cambodia
Som, V. S. (PhD Student), Polman, K. (Promotor), Campos-Ponce, M. (Promotor), Van Der Hoeven, M. (Promotor) & Wieringa, F. T. (Promotor)
29/05/24 → …
Project: PhD-project
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FA5 RWANDA: Make Rwandan institutes leaders in infectious diseaseprevention, diagnosis and control
Rosanas-Urgell, A. (Copromotor), Kattenberg, E. (Researcher), de Jong, B. (PI), Cuella Martin, I. (Researcher), Mitchell, E. (Researcher), Theunissen, C. (Researcher), Polman, K. (Researcher), Trevisan, C. (Researcher), Ravinetto, R. (Researcher), Roosen, T. (Administrator), de Jong, B. (PI), Rosanas-Urgell, A. (CoPI) & Rigouts, L. (Promotor)
Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid
1/01/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Development project
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RIVER EPILEPSY: Stopping the burden of disease caused by onchocerciasis- associated epilepsy
Trevisan, C. (Researcher), Polman, K. (PI) & Polman, K. (Promotor)
1/01/22 → 31/12/27
Project: Research Project
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FA5 RD CONGO: Strengthen research and education capacities in the partner institutes (INRB, CRSK, ESP) in DRC (Outcome 1) Support to interruption of transmission of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) by 2030 (Outcome 2)
Verlé, P. (Copromotor), Nicco, E. (Copromotor), Van Cauwenberg, I. (Other), Rosanas-Urgell, A. (Researcher), Mutsaers, M. (Researcher), de Jong, B. (Researcher), Van Den Abbeele, J. (Researcher), Dermauw, V. (Researcher), Ariën, K. (Researcher), Hauner, A. (Researcher), Monsieurs, P. (Researcher), Van Bortel, W. (Researcher), Kreppel, K. (Researcher), Vanlerberghe, V. (Researcher), Ingelbeen, B. (Researcher), Lepore, L. (Researcher), Inocêncio da Luz, R. (Researcher), Semaan, A. (Researcher), Seghers, C.-A. (Researcher), Polman, K. (Researcher), Katsuva Sibongwere, D. (Researcher), Colombe, S. (Researcher), Benova, L. (Copromotor), Meudec, M. (Researcher), Van Den Abbeele, J. (PI), Van Den Abbeele, J. (Promotor) & Kattenberg, E. (Promotor)
Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid
1/01/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Development project
Research output
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Liver and bladder morbidity in a Schistosoma mansoni and haematobium co-endemic area in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Linsuke, S., Madinga, J., Roucher, C., Miantezila, M.-I., Baloji, S., Disonama, M., Van Geertruyden, J.-P., Polman, K. & Lutumba, P., 17-Feb-2026, In: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 20, 2, 15 p., e0013999.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Overlapping sociodemographic factors of single and multiple forms of malnutrition in Guatemalan households: a secondary data analysis of the Epidemiological Health and Nutrition Surveillance System (2013-2019)
Sagastume, D., Mazariegos, M., Polman, K., Palmieri, M., Mesarina, K., Penalvo, J. L., Benova, L. & Ramirez-Zea, M., 28-May-2026, In: BMJ Public Health. 4, 2, p. e002792 14 p., e002792.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Prevalence and risk factors related to Fasciola spp. transmission in north-Central Vietnam: A cross-sectional study in multiple host and environmental compartments
Vinh, H. Q., Levecke, B., Dung, D. T., Binh, V. T. L., Hien, N. T. T., Ha, N. N., Thanh, D. T. H., Devleesschauwer, B., de Jong, T., Paredis, L., De Wilde, N., Casaert, S., Polman, K., Callens, S., Dorny, P. & Dermauw, V., Jun-2026, In: One Health. 22, p. 101417Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Fascioliasis in north-central Vietnam: Assessing community knowledge, attitudes, and practices
Quang, V. H., Levecke, B., Do Trung, D., Thi Lam, B. V., Dung, L. T., Nguyen, T. D., Tuyen, T. T., Nguyen, H. T. T., Ha, N. N., Devleesschauwer, B., Goossens, K., de Jong, T., Paredis, L., De Wilde, N., Polman, K., Callens, S., Dorny, P. & Dermauw, V., 2025, In: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 19, 7, e0013324.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Impact of praziquantel treatment and early reinfection patterns in a mixed Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium infection focus in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Madinga, J., Roucher, C., Linsuke, S., Baloji, S., Hermy, M., Lutumba, P. & Polman, K., 14-Oct-2025, Research Square, 13 p. (Research Square).Research output: Working paper › Preprint