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
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IMPACT: Innovative Monoclonal antibody against Poxviruses for Advanced CounTermeasures
Mariën, J. (Promotor), Mariën, J. (PI), Liesenborghs, L. (CoPI) & Van Dijck, C. (Researcher)
1/06/26 → 31/05/30
Project: Research Project
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Increasing Outbreak Preparedness by Strengthening Centralized and Decentralized Genomic Sequencing Activities to Decipher Monkeypox virus Transmission Dynamics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Amuri, A. A. (PhD Student), Vercauteren, K. (Promotor), Liesenborghs, L. (Promotor), Liesenborghs, L. (Promotor) & Mbala-Kingebeni, P. (Promotor)
1/01/26 → …
Project: PhD-project
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DESTIME: Deciphering the Role of Sexual Transmission in Mpox Evolution
Vercauteren, K. (CoPI), Liesenborghs, L. (CoPI), Jansen, D. (PI) & Jansen, D. (Promotor)
1/10/25 → 30/09/28
Project: Mandate
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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. (PhD Student), Liesenborghs, L. (Promotor), Liesenborghs, L. (Promotor), Bottieau, E. (Promotor) & Vlieghe, E. (Promotor)
6/06/25 → …
Project: PhD-project
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GUARDING: Guarding Against the Reintroduction of monkeypox virus: Assessing Vulnerability and Mitigation Strategies in the Belgian MSM Population
Adriaensen, W. (CoPI), Vercauteren, K. (Promotor), Liesenborghs, L. (CoPI) & Van Dijck, C. (CoPI)
1/01/25 → 31/12/28
Project: Research Project
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4-Octyl itaconate blocks STAT3-induced ACE2 expression to reduce uptake of SARS-CoV-2
Weiss, H. J., Hooftman, A., Salgado-Benvindo, C., Boudewijns, R., Liesenborghs, L., Ryan, T. A. J., van der Horst, D., Carter-Timofte, M. E., Gewaid, H., Bowie, A. G., Thibaut, H. J., Dallmeier, K., Olagnier, D., van Hemert, M. J. & O'Neill, L. A. J., Aug-2026, In: Biochemical Pharmacology. 250, Pt 2, 10 p., 118007.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Assessing mpox knowledge and sexual behaviours within high-risk populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lemaille, C., Halbrook, M., Merritt, S., Anta, Y., Lunyanga, L., Mukadi, P. K., Hasivirwe Vakaniaki, E., Kalonji, T., Kenye, M., Kacita, C., Linsuke, S., Bogoch, I. I., Cevik, M., Gonsalves, G. S., Hunter, M., Liesenborghs, L., Shaw, S. Y., Shongo, R. L., Hensley, L. E. & Hoff, N. A. & 3 others, , 18-May-2026, In: BMJ Global Health. 11, 5, 10 p., e019865.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Deciphering the etiology of the 2024 outbreak of undiagnosed febrile illness in Panzi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wawina-Bokalanga, T., Makangara-Cigolo, J.-C., Ola-Mpumbe, R., Lokilo, E., Mwakisenda-Tshakotsho, F., Delphine, M., Kahindo, I., Tshonaka-Nkololo, A., Vakaniaki, E. H., Loman, N., Houben, S., Lumembe-Numbi, R., Kinganda-Lusamaki, E., Ponga-Museme, A., Mukota-Nungu, Y., Kumar, A., Meris, M., Wilkinson, S., Colquhoun, R. & Kenye, K.-M. & 27 others, , 18-Feb-2026, In: Nature Medicine. 32, 4, p. 1374-1382 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
High-throughput multiplex immunoassay for the detection of mpox and MVA-BN vaccination up to 2 years after exposure in Belgium: a retrospective diagnostic accuracy study
Mariën, J., Van Dijck, C., Berens-Riha, N., Willems, E., Zaeck, L. M., Jones, S., Hicks, B., Otter, A., Yates, J. L., Hunt, D. T., Lee, W. T., Bracke, S., Verschueren, J., Vanroye, F., Bosman, E., De Cock, N., Smekens, B., Vandenhove, L., Goovaerts, O. & van Hul, A. & 8 others, , May-2026, In: Lancet Microbe. 7, 5, p. 101316 11 p., 101316.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Long-term consequences of monkeypox virus infection or modified vaccinia virus Ankara vaccination in Belgium (MPX-COHORT and POQS-FU-PLUS): a 24-month prospective and retrospective cohort study
Van Dijck, C., Berens-Riha, N., Zaeck, L. M., Kremer, C., Verschueren, J., Coppens, J., Vanroye, F., Willems, E., Bosman, E., De Cock, N., Smekens, B., Vandenhove, L., Goovaerts, O., Van Hul, A., Wouters, J., Jacobs, B. K. M., Bracke, S., Hens, M., Brosius, I. & De Vos, E. & 21 others, , Feb-2026, In: Lancet Infectious Diseases. 26, 2, p. 190-202 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
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