Members
Group leaders
Prof. Dr. Anna Jansen is Head of Paediatric Neurology at Antwerp University Hospital and Associate Professor at the University of Antwerp and Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Her clinical and academic work focuses on neurogenetics, with particular expertise in malformations of cortical development and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). She co-leads international research initiatives such as the TANDem project and has contributed to over 140 peer-reviewed publications. Prof. Jansen is actively involved in clinical trials, international collaborations, and scientific societies, including her role as Head of the Advocacy and Collaboration Committee of the European Paediatric Neurology Society. She is widely recognized for her translational research, educational leadership, and commitment to improving care for children with complex neurological conditions.
Prof. Dr. Marije Meuwissen is a clinical geneticist and senior staff member at the University Hospital Antwerp and an associate professor at the University of Antwerp. She graduated as a physician in 2004 from Maastricht University. She followed a specialization in clinical genetics and did her PhD research at the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam between 2006 and 2013. She obtained her PhD in 2014 with a dissertation on "Genetic causes of cerebrovascular disorders in childhood." Prof. Dr. Meuwissen has a specific interest in genetic causes of (developmental) brain disorders, with a focus on three, partly overlapping, subdomains: cerebral palsy, cerebrovascular disorders (disorders of the blood vessels of the brain), and malformations of cortical development (abnormal neuronal development of the brain and cerebral cortex).
Prof. Dr. Sarah Weckhuysen is a neurologist with a specific interest in genetic epilepsies. She leads the Weckhuysen Lab at the VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology, where her research focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying rare epilepsies, with a particular emphasis on KCNQ2-related disorders. Her work integrates clinical insights with advanced in vitro and in vivo models, aiming to develop targeted therapies through precision medicine approaches. Sarah holds an MD and PhD from KU Leuven and the University of Antwerp, respectively, and has trained and worked internationally, including in Paris, Madrid, and Florence. She is a Senior Clinical Investigator of the FWO and has coordinated multiple European research consortia. Her contributions have been recognised with awards such as the UCB Award and the Epilepsia Clinical Research Prize. She actively serves on advisory boards and expert panels, including the ERN-EpiCARE and the ILAE, and is committed to translating genetic discoveries into improved patient care.
Staff scientists
Prof. Dr. An-Sofie Schoonjans - Genetic Epilepsies
Prof Schoonjans is a pediatric neurologist, specializing in genetic epilepsies and rare epilepsy syndromes such as Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut. Her clinical work focuses on the care of children with complex epilepsies. She completed her PhD on precision medicine in epilepsy, studying fenfluramine as a treatment for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Her research also addresses comorbid sleep problems, the clinical impact of genetic testing, and the characterization of rare epilepsy syndromes. She is an active member of the epilepsy community, serving on the Board of the Belgian League Against Epilepsy and in the Belgian Society of Pediatric Neurology.
Dr. Hannah Stamberger - Genetic Epilepsies
Dr. Hannah Stamberger is a neurologist at the University Hospital of Antwerp (UZA) with a special interest in epilepsy. She cares for patients with a wide range of epilepsy types, with particular interest in rare epilepsy syndromes. She works closely with the pediatric neurology team at UZA as part of the epilepsy transition clinic and the adult Dravet syndrome clinic, ensuring continuity of care from childhood through adulthood. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Stamberger is a staff scientist in the Weckhuysen Lab at the VIB Center for Molecular Genetics. Her research focuses on the genetics of rare epilepsies and neurodevelopmental disorders with over a decade of experience in the field. She is particularly dedicated to understanding STXBP1-related disorders (STXBP1-RD) and is part of the executive board of the European STXBP1 Consortium, which brings together researchers and clinicians across Europe to improve understanding of STXBP1-RD and to advance the development of new treatments (https://stxbp1eu.org/).
Dr. Katrien Janssens - Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Katrien Janssens is a molecular geneticist and laboratory head at the Center of Medical Genetics (UZA/UA), where she leads the diagnostic service in invasive and non-invasive prenatal testing as well as exome sequencing for developmental disorders. She holds a PhD from the University of Antwerp and has directed projects on genotype-phenotype correlations in prenatal chromosomal microarrays. Her work bridges clinical diagnostics and research, aiming to inform decision-making in prenatal genetics and improve outcomes for patients and families.
Postdoctoral researchers
Dr. Claudio D’Incal - Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Claudio D'Incal is a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Medical Genetics, which is part of the University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital. His passion and expertise lie in rare diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and (pre)clinical studies. Claudio is researching the causes of rare neurodevelopmental disorders and the impact of these genetic errors in the brain for genes such as ADNP, FMR1, AP-4, KIF1A, and KLC4.
Dr. Marcus Kaji - Genetic Epilepsies
Marcus Kaji is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Prof. Sarah Weckhuysen at the VIB - UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology. Marcus obtained his PhD studying the pharmacology and electrophysiology of voltage-gated ion channels of parasitic nematodes. He currently studies pharmacological approaches for modulating ion channels as drug targets for neurodevelopmental disorders in iPSC derived neurons.
Dr. Tejasvi Niranjan - Genetic Epilepsies
Tejasvi Niranjan is a postdoctoral researcher who applies computational genomics and multi-omics, biostatistics, and machine modeling to better understand focal epilepsy and epileptic encephalopathies. The work includes: (1) Conducting deep analysis of long-read sequencing data and associated transcriptomics/methylomics from patients seen in our UZA epilepsy clinic (University of Antwerp Hospital) who currently lack a molecular diagnosis; (2) improving structural variant identification and merging across samples and analytical pipelines; and (3) conducting deep-sequencing analysis and methylation profiling of focal epilepsy subtypes for improved prognostication and targeted therapeutics.
Dr. Lidia Carotenuto - Genetic Epilepsies
Lidia Carotenuto is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Prof. Sarah Weckhuysen at the VIB – UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology. During her PhD, she focused on identifying novel Kv7 channel openers as potential treatments for Kv7-related disorders and epilepsy. Her current research explores the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying Kv7-related epileptic and developmental encephalopathies, using human iPSC-derived excitatory and inhibitory neurons as well as astrocytes.
PhD students
Elisabeth Van Boxstael - Genetic Epilepsies
Elisabeth Van Boxstael is a medical doctor specializing in neurology and a PhD student at the University of Antwerp. Her project focuses on KCNQ2-related developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). She investigates the genetic and environmental modifiers that influence phenotypic variability, aims to identify EEG-based biomarkers, and works to establish the natural history of KCNQ2-related disorders.
Fien Vandenberk - Genetic Epilepsies
Fien Vandenberk is a PhD researcher at the University of Antwerp and the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA). Her research focuses on the clinical features of Dravet syndrome and how the condition evolves with ageing. She aims to establish whether these changes are a result of the disease's progressive nature or indicate an underlying neurodegenerative process. Additionally, Fien is investigating clinical and genetic factors that could predict disease severity, with the ultimate goal of improving understanding of, and care for, individuals living with Dravet syndrome.
Jessica Rosenblum - Malformations of Cortical Development (MCD)
Jessica Rosenblum is a doctoral scholarship holder (doctoraatsbursaal) at the University of Antwerp and University hospital Antwerp (UZA). She serves as a research fellow in a project focusing on a transcriptome-directed approach to brain malformations. The project explores malformations of cortical development (MCD), aiming to enhance diagnostic yield by integrating RNA-sequencing (transcriptome data) with whole-genome sequencing. The project also aims to develop gene-specific signatures, particularly those affecting the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and microtubule dynamics, to better interpret previously "unsolved" genetic cases and facilitate discovery of novel disease genes
Liene Thys - Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Liene Thys is a PhD researcher in Pediatric Neurology at the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA), a position she has held since October 2020. Her work focuses on the genetic and clinical aspects of pediatric neurological disorders, including cerebral palsy, developmental brain malformations and movement disorders. She combines clinical assessments with advanced genetic testing to improve diagnostic precision and understand the underlying mechanisms of these conditions. Liene’s research aims to identify novel genetic causes and clarify genotype-phenotype correlations, ultimately supporting personalized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in pediatric neurology.
Lusine Hartuniyan - Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Lusine Harutyunyan is a doctoral researcher at the University of Antwerp and conducts research on Helsmoortel-Van der Aa syndrome (HVDAS), a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the ADNP gene. Her work focuses on mapping the clinical features of the syndrome and developing a care pathway to better support patients and their families. She collaborates closely with clinicians, researchers, and the international parent community. In addition, she studies how genetic and clinical data can contribute to improved care and future therapeutic strategies.
Matthias De Wachter - Precision Medicine in Epilepsy
Matthias De Wachter, MD is a pediatric neurologist at Antwerp University Hospital (UZA). His clinical and research focus lies in deep phenotyping and precision treatment of complex epilepsies, particularly in neonates and children. He is involved in multidisciplinary discussion of genetic variants and coordinates a focused epilepsy genetic clinic once a month. Together with the other members of the epilepsy team of UZA, he is involved in different clinical drug trials for rare genetic epilepsies and international collaborations for both established and emerging genes in epilepsy. Matthias is currently pursuing a PhD in medical sciences, investigating the clinical characteristics and targeted therapies for rare epileptic syndromes, including those linked to RORA, KCNA2, FRRS1L and KCNQ2/3 gene variants. His work integrates multidisciplinary approaches and international collaborations, notably through the Filadelfia Epilepsy Centre in Denmark and the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases. He is a committee member of the Young European Pediatric Neurology Society, and the Belgian Society of Pediatric Neurology.
Mandana Gheisari - Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease
Mandana Gheisari is a PhD student jointly affiliated with the Weckhuysen and Sleegers labs at the University of Antwerp and VIB. Her research focuses on discovering biomarkers for early-onset epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), two frequent and debilitating neurological conditions with limited diagnostic options. By analyzing blood and cerebrospinal fluid, she investigates cell-free DNA, extracellular RNA, and vesicle-associated molecular signatures that may enable earlier and less invasive diagnosis, as well as a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms. Combining innovative laboratory methods with computational approaches, her work aims to advance precision diagnostics in neurology.
Merel Swinnen - Genetic Epilepsies
Merel Swinnen is a doctoral scholarship holder at the University of Antwerp and is working on a prospective international study on STXBP1-related disorders — a rare genetic condition that causes early-onset epilepsy and neurodevelopmental impairments. In addition to her research topic, she works as a neurology resident at the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA).
Noortje Zonnekein - Genetic Epilepsies
Noortje Zonnekein is a doctoral researcher supported by an FWO scholarship at the University of Antwerp and the VIB Center for Molecular Neurology. Her research focuses on KCNQ2-related neurodevelopmental disorders, using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models including transcription factor-induced glutamatergic excitatory neurons, GABAergic inhibitory neurons, and cortical organoids. Through transcriptomic sequencing and computational prediction models, her work aims to deepen our understanding of these disorders and explore novel therapeutic strategies.
Zakaria Eddafir - Genetic Epilepsies
Zakaria Eddafir is a doctoral researcher at the University of Antwerp, working as a bioinformatician in the Weckhuysen lab. He focuses on the development of multi-omics pipelines and the integration of genomics, epigenomics and transcriptomics to improve diagnostics for patients with neurodevelopmental and epileptic disorders and to identify novel genetic variants and mechanisms.
Lab technicians
Ellen Elinck
Ellen Elinck is our highly experienced lab technician, bringing a strong background in molecular neurogenetics to the team. She is skilled in a wide range of molecular biology techniques, including DNA/RNA extraction, RT-PCR, ELISA, Western blotting, and cell culture. Ellen combines technical precision with practical problem-solving, ensuring that experiments run smoothly and reproducibly.
Els De Vriendt
Els De Vriendt is a highly skilled laboratory technologist with over 30 years of experience in genetic methodologies and strong expertise in iPSC workflows, biobanking, data systems, and laboratory coordination. She combines deep technical knowledge with excellent organizational and operational capabilities, consistently supporting high-quality research through precision and reliability.
Ayu Scott
Ayu Scott recently graduated in Biochemistry with the highest distinction and brings strong expertise in molecular and cellular biology techniques. She is proficient in cell culture, PCR, cloning, transfections, ICC, Western blotting, RT-PCR, functional staining, and fluorescence microscopy. Ayu’s research focus lies in genes implicated in malformations of cortical development (MCD) and cerebral palsy (CP).
Students
None at the moment.