PhD student
Catho Schoenmaekers, MSc
I am a PhD
student at the Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace (LEIA) in
Wilrijk, Belgium. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science in 2018
at the University of Antwerp. My main interests were/are research and clinical
sciences, therefore it was a very logical choice to go for the master's degree
"Biomedical Sciences: Clinical Scientific Research" with a minor in
"Research", which I obtained in 2020. For my master thesis I
investigated, under the supervision of Prof. Floris Wuyts, the effect of
long-term spaceflight on the otoliths (the gravity sensors of the vestibular
system). Because my interest in this research field continued to grow, I was
able to stay after my master's and start as a PhD student at LEIA. For my
doctoral thesis, I will remain active in space research, but the main focus
will be on the Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS). This is an under-diagnosed vestibular
disorder where the patient feels like they are moving when sitting still, the
feeling of being on a boat. Together with MdDS Reset we want
to realize an accessible treatment that can be applied worldwide.