Antwerp has a long tradition of conducting clinical research on pediatric vaccines. The new 'Chair Antwerp Pediatric Clinical Trial Network' aims to enhance the current expertise in pediatric clinical studies. The chair also seeks to initiate collaboration on clinical studies in children with a focus on vaccine research to conduct more efficient clinical trials in Antwerp.
To achieve this, the Pediatric Department of the UZA (University Hospital Antwerp) combined its expertise in clinical and academic studies involving children with the pediatric expertise in the Antwerp hospitals GZA and ZNA. Additionally, they collaborated with the expertise in vaccinations at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, including the Department for Vaccines and the Institute for Infectious Diseases (VAXINFECTIO) at the University of Antwerp.
The 'Chair Antwerp Pediatric Clinical Trial Network' aims to establish a sustainable collaboration and create an official network with the following objectives:
- Establish interinstitutional collaboration on pediatric clinical trials with a focus on vaccine research and research on pediatric infections;
- Attract pediatric clinical trials in these areas;
- Facilitate the exchange of patients and research personnel to optimize the execution of clinical trials.
Additionally, the partners aspire to organize joint meetings on future vaccine developments, anticipate upcoming research, and collectively discuss and evaluate the process of pediatric vaccine research.
- Chairholder: Stijn Verhulst (UZA en UAntwerpen), Daan Van Brusselen (ZAS en UAntwerpen), Ine Decuyper (ZAS en UAntwerpen) en Ilse De Coster (UAntwerpen)
- Faculty: Medicine and Health Sciences
- Active since: 2024
- Partners: Pfizer, Sanofi, GSK, and UZA