Projects per year
Personal profile
Research expertise
Laurens Liesenborghs is an infectious disease specialist and researcher specialized in emerging infectious disease and humanitarian medicine. He has a broad scientific background and experience in several key domains of emerging infectious disease research, including animal models, preclinical drug development, virology, vaccinology, microbiology, clinical trials, and epidemiology.
During his PhD he developed a new preclinical mouse model to study the pathophysiology of infective endocarditis. Afterwards, he specialized in emerging viruses. First, by working for Doctors without Borders in a Lassa Fever project in Sierra Leone. Next, by conducting postdoctoral research in the BSL3+ lab of the University of Leuven. There, he helped to develop a hamster model of COVID-19 and worked on testing antivirals and a vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2.
Currently, he is an assistant professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) and a member of ITM’s multidisciplinary Outbreak Research Team. His current research interest mainly concerns Monkeypox. Already before the global outbreak started, he was leading a ‘one-health’ project on MPXV transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In addition, he is currently conducting several research projects on MPX in Belgium, including a study on asymptomatic presentation, a close follow-up of high-risk contacts and several studies on MPXV diagnostics. He is also involved in a large European platform trial on MPX therapeutics.
Besides monkeypox, his main research topics include outbreak research, COVID-19 and viral hemorrhagic fevers, with ongoing projects in Belgium, DRC, Burundi, Guinea, Ghana and Ethiopia.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, MD
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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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Characterization of Mpox Clinical Presentation and Transmission Dynamics of different monkeypox virus clades in Belgium and DR Congo: Implications for Epidemic Control
Brosius, I., Liesenborghs, L., Liesenborghs, L., Bottieau, E. & Vlieghe, E.
6/06/25 → …
Project: PhD-project
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Multidisciplinary investigations of mpox outbreaks in Cameroon
Bangwen, E., Liesenborghs, L., Vercauteren, K., Van Dijck, C. & Netongo, P. M.
14/11/24 → …
Project: PhD-project
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MBOTE-SK: Tackling and investigating the South-Kivu mpox outbreak
Liesenborghs, L. & Liesenborghs, L.
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
1/08/24 → 31/01/27
Project: Research Project
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Improving the clinical management and facility-based surveillance of febrile illness in rural Guinea: a multidisciplinary approach
Kourouma, K., Bottieau, E., Vercauteren, K., Liesenborghs, L., Vlieghe, E. & Delamou, A.
1/01/23 → …
Project: PhD-project
Research output
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A systematic nomenclature for mpox viruses causing outbreaks with sustained human-to-human transmission
Ruis, C., Lusamaki, E., O'Toole, A., Otieno, JR., Colquhoun, R., Roemer, C., Wawina-Bokalanga, T., Tshiani-Mbaya, O., Jansen, D., Makangara, JC., Agrawal, A., Abu-Raddad, LJ., Ahuka-Mundeke, S., Ayouba, A., Azhar, EI., Caly, L., Drosten, C., Faria, NR., Fowotade, A., Hoxha, A., & 30 others, 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Nature Medicine. 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
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Clade Ia Monkeypox virus linked to sexual transmission, Democratic Republic of the Congo, August 2024
Makangara-Cigolo, JC., Kenye, KM., Lunyanga, L., Jansen, D., Kinganda-Lusamaki, E., Kavira, S., Amuri-Aziza, A., Malembi, E., Anta, Y., Akil-Bandali, P., Lokilo-Lofiko, E., Vakaniaki, EH., Nundu, SS., Pukuta-Simbu, E., Paku-Tshambu, P., Ola-Mpumbe, R., Lumembe-Numbi, R., Kabamba-Lungenyi, G., Luakanda, G., Kacita, C., & 26 others, 2025, In: Emerging Infectious Diseases. 31, 5, p. 1033-1037 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review
Open Access -
Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission
Kinganda-Lusamaki, E., Amuri-Aziza, A., Fernandez-Nuñez, N., Makangara-Cigolo, JC., Pratt, C., Vakaniaki, EH., Hoff, NA., Luakanda-Ndelemo, G., Akil-Bandali, P., Nundu, SS., Mulopo-Mukanya, N., Ngimba, M., Modadra-Madakpa, B., Diavita, R., Paku-Tshambu, P., Pukuta-Simbu, E., Merritt, S., O'Toole, A., Low, N., Nkuba-Ndaye, A., & 19 others, 2025, In: Cell. 188, 1, 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review
Open Access -
Epidemiological and clinical features of mpox during the clade Ib outbreak in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a prospective cohort study
Brosius, I., Vakaniaki, EH., Mukari, G., Munganga, P., Tshomba, JC., De Vos, E., Bangwen, E., Mujula, Y., Tsoumanis, A., Van Dijck, C., Alengo, A., Mutimbwa-Mambo, L., Kumbana, FM., Munga, JB., Mambo, DM., Zangilwa, JW., Kitwanda, SB., Houben, S., Hoff, NA., Makangara-Cigolo, JC., & 20 others, 2025, In: Lancet. 405, 10478, p. 547-559 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Epidemiology and phylogenomic characterisation of two distinct mpox outbreaks in Kinshasa, DR Congo, involving a new subclade Ia lineage: a retrospective, observational study
Wawina-Bokalanga, T., Merritt, S., Kinganda-Lusamaki, E., Jansen, D., Halbrook, M., O'Toole, A., Pukuta-Simbu, E., Vakaniaki, EH., Ola-Mpumbe, R., Kwete-Mbokama, P., Akil-Bandali, P., Kacita, C., Ponga-Museme, A., Mapenzi-Kashali, N., Amuri-Aziza, A., Tshiani-Mbaya, O., Paku-Tshambu, P., Dantas, PHLF., De Block, T., Lokilo-Lofiko, E., & 22 others, 5-Jul-2025, In: Lancet. 406, 10498, p. 63-75 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review