Research expertise

Pure input

Koen Vercauteren obtained an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2010, Ghent University, Belgium), a PhD in pre-clinical viral hepatitis research (2014, Ghent University hospital, Belgium, Promoted by Profs. Philip Meuleman and Geert Leroux-Roels), continued his academic track on a BAEF post-doctoral scholarship in pre-clinical viral hepatitis research and viral vectors for gene therapy (2014-2016, Rockefeller University, NYC, USA, Charles M. Rice lab, 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine recipient). Then, he graduated the clinical specialty programme in laboratory medicine (clinical chemistry, haematology, and microbiology) (2016-2019, Ghent University hospital, Belgium).

Since 2019, he is a professor at ITM, head of the clinical virology unit and clinical biologist at the ITM clinical reference lab. The clinical virology Unit currently (co-)hosts two laboratory technicians, six PhD students, four postdoctoral researcher, and has supervised seven MSc students in tropical medicine and public health. He has (co-)authored 73 (26 of which as first and senior author) peer reviewed papers in the field of diagnostic and (pre-)clinical virology (>3000 citations). His current research focusses on diagnostic virology.

The Clinical Virology Unit works on:

• diagnostic virology for patient care within the Belgian national reference laboratory for the diagnosis of infectious and tropical diseases
• the development and validation of molecular assays for the detection and characterization of high-consequence emerging zoonotic viruses like Mpox virus, Ebola virus and Lassa virus
• co-creation of metagenomic and viral sequencing capacity with partner laboratories in tropical regions where these viruses are endemic to investigate acute (hemorrhagic) fever etiologies, outbreak pathogens, viral evolution and molecular epidemiology

Leveraging this diagnostic virology and genomic surveillance capacity, the unit engages in multidisciplinary outbreak investigations with experts in pre-clinical research, clinical care, epidemiology, immunology, and ecology. This integrated approach in previously non-endemic regions (e.g., Belgium) and endemic areas (e.g., the Democratic Republic of the Congo), thereby informing clinical recognition, laboratory diagnosis and outbreak response. Since 2022, this collaborative mpox research has led to 28 peer-reviewed publications (including in Nature Medicine, The Lancet, and Cell).

Teaching:

• ITM PhD commission member (2022-2024) vice-chair (2025-)
• PhD supervision
• MSc supervision (Tropical Medicine, Public Health, Global One-Health)