Assistant Professor Immunology
Group leader of the Chronic inflammation and Blood–brain barrier disruption in Neurodegeneration (CBN) lab
Hasselt University
Hasselt | Belgium
Bieke Broux is Assistant Professor in Immunology and group leader of the Chronic inflammation and Blood–brain barrier disruption in Neurodegeneration (CBN) lab at Hasselt University, Belgium. She obtained her PhD at Hasselt University in 2013, providing first evidence for the involvement of cytotoxic CD4 T cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis via fractalkine-mediated migration to the brain. Supported by an FWO fellowship, she joined Prof. Alexandre Prat’s lab in Montréal to study blood–brain barrier (BBB) biology, where she identified the Th17-derived cytokine IL-26 as a BBB-protective factor. Upon her return to Belgium, she secured a prestigious ECTRIMS fellowship and several grants to establish a novel BBB research line at Hasselt University. In 2020, she received the Global MS Research Booster Award from Stichting MS Research, accelerating her transition to independent group leader. Since her appointment as Assistant Professor in 2021, her research has focused on mechanisms of chronic inflammation and BBB disruption in neurodegeneration, with a translational outlook through collaborations with biotech partners. She also serves as Chair of the Inclusion Committee at Hasselt University, promoting inclusive practices in academia.