Short Curriculum of Research
Prof Martine Cools
Affiliation
Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital
Pediatric Endocrinology
Contact: Martine.Cools(at)ugent.be
Research Activities
The research activities of our group focus on genetic causes of DSD, gonadal differentiation patterns, risk for germ cell cancer and on long-term psychosexual outcome. We are interested in receiving gonadectomy material and DNA samples of DSD cases for research purposes (including whole exome sequencing)
Education/ Training
| 2006 | Clinical Fellowship Pediatric Endocrinology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Supervision: Sten Drop | |||
| 2004-2005 | Research Fellowship, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Supervision: Leendert Looijenga | |||
| 1998-2003 | Pediatrics, Antwerp, Belgium | |||
Research Experience/ Academic Appointments
| Since 2011 | Head of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology and Diabetology, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium |
| Since 2010 | Associate Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ghent, Belgium |
| Since 2008 | Coordinator of the Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) subgroup of the Belgian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology |
| Since 2007 | Senior staff member at the Service of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium |
| Since 2007 | Coordinator of the multidisciplinary team for patients with Disorders of Sex Development at the University Hospital Ghent |
| Since 2007 | Member of the multidisciplinary team for children and adolescents with Gender Identity Disorder |
| PhD Thesis 2006 | Germ cell tumors in patients with disorders of sex development: Risk factors, initial developmental stages and targets for early diagnosis. Martine Cools. PhD Thesis, 2006. ISBN: 905677106X. |
Important Scientific Prizes/ Functions
| 2010 | ESPE Young Investigator Award | |||
| Since 2007 | Senior Clinical Investigator at the University of Ghent, Belgium, granted by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) | |||
Publications
5 main publications with relevance to DSDnet (last 5 years)
- Integrated clinical, hormonal and genetic screening in a consecutive series of 32 undervirilized 46,XY neonates and infants. D Baetens, V Mladenov, B Delle Chiaie, B Menten, A Desloovere, V Iotova, B Callewaert, E Van Laecke, P Hoebeke, E De Baere and M Cools. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 2014. E-pub ahead of print.
- Novel insights in gonadal development as risk factor for germ cell cancer: Towards a clinical decision model. YG van der Zwan, K Biermann, KP Wolffenbuttel, M Cools and LHJ Looijenga. 2014 Eur Urol. 2014 Sep 17. pii: S0302-2838(14)00651-4. doi: 10.1016.
- An update on surgical and non-surgical treatments for vaginal hypoplasia. N Callens, G De Cuypere, P De Sutter, S Monstrey, S Weyers, P Hoebeke and M Cools. Human Reproduction Update 2014, 2014 Sep-Oct;20(5):775-801. Doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmu024.
- Vaginal dilation treatment in women with vaginal hypoplasia: A prospective long term intervention study. N Callens, S Weyers, S Monstrey, S Stockman, B Van Hoorde, E Van Hoecke, G De Cuypere, P Hoebeke and M Cools. Am J Obstet & Gynecol, accepted.
- Gonadal pathology and tumor risk in relation to clinical characteristics in patients with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism. M Cools, J Pleskacova, H Stoop, P Hoebeke, E Van Laecke, SLS Drop, J Lebl, JW Oosterhuis, LHJ Looijenga, KP Wolffenbuttel, on behalf of the Mosaicism Collaborative Group. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011; Jul 96(7): E1171-E1180.