Brief Biography
Pr Isabelle Scheers completed her MD and pediatric specialty training at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL).
She started her translationnal science research activities as a medical student. Her work addressed the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in children with mitochondrial cytopathies. It was the first description of cancer developing in this disease entity as a potential consequence of oxidative stress. At the end of her pediatric specialty training, she went on to complete a PhD in hepatic and umbilical cord derived stem cell oncogenetics under the supervision of Pr Etienne Sokal (UCL). This research was awarded several distinctions in international meetings.
She completed additional training in neonatology (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven/UCL), pediatric gastroenterology-hepatology (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France) and did a subspecialty fellowship in pancreas diseases (Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada). During this period in Canada, she performed multiple research projects in pancreatology funded through a post-doctoral research grant (Restracomp, Canada).
Research Interests
Pr. Scheers’s clinical and basic research has focused on two main areas of interest:
1/ liver oncogenetics
and
2/ etiologic mechanisms of pancreatitis in children.
Hepatocellular adenoma in children
Specifically, her interest has been around the mechanisms underlying the development of hepatocellular adenomas and their subsequent malignant transformation in specific patients.
Hepatocellular adenomas are benign tumors arising in children with underlying conditions such as metabolic diseases (glycogen storage disease, MODY3, etc.), vascular malformations leading to portal deprivation and exposure to sexual hormones. Some of those adenomas are, for poorly known reasons, at risk of malignant transformation.
Pr. Scheers’s collaborative research aims at understanding the pathophysiology of adenoma and hepatocellular carcinoma development to be able to improve current treatment guidelines and thereby child survival.
Pancreas diseases
Pancreatitis is a rare condition that is increasingly recognized in children. Several risk factors are identified: genetic predisposition, obstruction of the pancreatic duct, autoimmunity, exposure to toxics and metabolic diseases. Pancreatitis is associated with high morbidity. Although, progress has been made in our understanding of the mechanisms involved, there is still a lack of insight into the pathways involved in the progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis. Furthermore, treatment options are limited.
Pr. Scheers’s research aims at improving our understanding about the development of pancreatitis in children, it’s evolution and treatment options. Approaches range from in vivo animal models to human studies.
Besides activities in international societies for pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, I. Scheers is the foundator and director of the Center for Rare Diseases of the Exocrine Pancreas newly created at the Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Brussels. She is also a board member of the Belgian Pancreatic Club and a member of the ESPGHAN (European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition) pancreas working group.