Karen Vanhoorelbeke

Karen Vanhoorelbeke, PhD, is full professor at KU Leuven, Belgium, where she is principle investigator at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research. In 2010 she worked in the lab of prof. dr. Tim Springer at Harvard Medical School, Boston as a visiting professor.

Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms by which the hemostatic proteins van Willebrand factor (VWF) and its cleaving enzyme ADAMTS13 contribute to health and disease. Her group performs fundamental research to understand the role of VWF and ADAMTS13 in hemostasis, bleeding and thrombosis and to unravel their mode-of-action. These findings form the basis for translational research lines where preclinical animal models are established to study disease pathology and new treatment strategies.

Her research is embedded in several national and international research projects. She was the coordinator of the Horizon2020 Marie Curie training network grant ‘PROFILE’ and is the coordinator of the Horizon Europe Marie Curie training network grant ‘TOLERATE’. In 2022, she received the Esteemed Career Award from the ISTH. She is author and coauthor of 200 scientific publications in international peer reviewed journals and is (co) promotor of 30 PhD students.