The Scientific Support Fund for the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, awards the Hilde Bruers Prize for scientific research in medicine every two years. This prize is made possible by a donation from Mrs. Hilde Bruers, in gratitude for her excellent treatment at UZ Brussel. The laureate of the 2022 prize is Prof. Dr. Bart Keymeulen.
Bart Keymeulen aims to bring innovative therapies directly to patients, both before diagnosis (prevention), at diagnosis, and in later stages of the disease. His research focuses on suppressing autoimmunity (immunotherapy) and on the transplantation of beta cells or stem cell–derived cells that develop into beta cells and glucagon-producing cells.
He is a full professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he serves as chair of the research cluster Diabetes, Transplantation, and Pathology. He is also honorary president of the Diabetes League and a member of the International Society of Internal Medicine. At UZ Brussel, he is responsible for the integrated and multidisciplinary care of all forms of diabetes and specializes in treating patients with type 1 diabetes.