Celine Gys assistant professor - senior researcher

Research Celine Gys

Research team

Expertise

Celine obtained her master's degree in Drug Development (University of Antwerp), is a pharmacist and is currently a postdoctoral researcher and assistant professor at Prof. Adrian Covaci's Toxicological Centre, where she also obtained her PhD. Celine is a registered judicial expert and works primarily on the development of innovative analytical methods for forensic toxicological research. She is also involved in the biomonitoring of various emerging environmental contaminants. Celine's main areas of expertise are: development, validation and application of quantitative methods using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, suspect/non-target screening using LC-QTOF-MS and GC-QTOF-MS, biostatistics, human in vitro metabolism, (post-mortem) metabolomics, biomonitoring and scientific communication.

Gabapentinoid use in Belgium: public health insights through triangulation of wastewater-based epidemiology, bioanalysis and sales data (GABA-INSIGHT). 01/11/2025 - 31/10/2029

Abstract

The misuse of pregabalin and gabapentin, prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy and neuropathic pain, has become an emerging public health issue in Belgium. These gabapentinoids are reportedly increasingly (mis)used in combination with psychotropic or sedative substances, including benzodiazepines, which significantly increases the risk of respiratory depression, coma or fatal outcomes. However, despite increased awareness of this problem, comprehensive data on misuse patterns in Belgium is limited. This PhD project aims to bridge this knowledge gap by applying wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to monitor spatial and temporal consumption trends of pregabalin and gabapentin at population level. The WBE results will be triangulated with prescription data and sales data to identify discrepancies between prescribed, sold and consumed quantities, thereby revealing regional patterns of misuse. Complementary analysis of biological samples (e.g., urine, blood, saliva, hair,...) will focus on detecting and quantifying pregabalin and gabapentin at individual level. Co-consumption of benzodiazepines, opioids and alcohol will be investigated to understand polydrug use patterns. This integrated approach will provide actionable insights for policymakers, supporting prevention strategies and enhancing prescription monitoring programs that would reduce the misuse of gabapentinoids in Belgium.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Forensic thanatometabolomics of the vitreous humour: characterizing an alternative matrix in forensic science to investigate the cause of death (FORTHAVIT). 01/11/2025 - 31/10/2029

Abstract

Forensic science and medicine currently rely on forensic autopsies and traditional chemical/toxicological analyses to establish the cause of death of unnatural, suspicious, and unexpected deaths. However, identifying a cause of death still comes with substantial challenges due to non-specific findings during autopsies and large interindividual variability in the results of performed chemical/toxicological analyses. Therefore, there is a clear need for innovative methods that enable a more objective determination of the cause of death in forensic medicine. FORTHAVIT aims to investigate the potential of applying metabolomics approaches to post-mortem vitreous humour to gather complementary and more detailed information on the cause of death in a forensic context. Initially, an untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic multi-analytical platform will be optimized, developed, and tailored for vitreous humour using cutting-edge instrumentation. Subsequently, the global endogenous composition of the human post-mortem vitreous humour metabolome will be characterized in its entirety, resulting in a "vitreous humour metabolome atlas". Finally, alterations in the metabolome of post-mortem vitreous humour samples from selected causes of death (CO-intoxication, drowning and alcohol intoxication) will be investigated to evaluate, for the first time, the diagnostic value of post-mortem vitreous humour metabolomics for more accurate cause of death determination in forensic investigations.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Vitreous humour thanatometabolomics: in-depth metabolome profiling of an alternative matrix in post-mortem forensic medicine to aid in establishing the cause of death (VITHAMET) 01/10/2024 - 30/09/2028

Abstract

Forensic science and medicine currently rely on forensic autopsies and traditional chemical/toxicological analyses to establish the cause of death of unnatural, suspicious, and unexpected deaths. However, identifying a cause of death still comes with substantial challenges because of non-specific findings during autopsies and large interindividual variability in the results of performed chemical/toxicological analyses. Therefore, there is a clear need for innovative methods that allow a more objective determination of the cause of death in forensic medicine. The VITHAMET project strives to investigate the potential of applying metabolomics approaches to post-mortem vitreous humour to gather complementary and more detailed information on the cause of death in a forensic context. Initially, we will optimize and develop state-of-the-art metabolomics and lipidomics workflows tailored for vitreous humour, based on cutting-edge instrumentation. Subsequently, the global endogenous composition of the human post-mortem vitreous humour metabolome will be characterized in its entirety, resulting in a "human vitreous humour metabolome atlas". Finally, we will investigate alterations in the metabolome of post-mortem vitreous humour samples from selected causes of death (CO-intoxication, drowning and alcohol intoxication) to evaluate the diagnostic value of post-mortem vitreous humour metabolomics for more accurate cause of death determination in forensic investigations.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project