Veerle Somers is a full professor of molecular biology at Hasselt University (Belgium) and vice dean of the Transnationale Universiteit Limburg, School of Life Sciences. She is head of the disease markers and bionanotechnology program and biobank coordinator at the Biomedical Research Institute.

Somers’ research focuses on biomarker discovery and B cell analysis in neurologic and autoimmune diseases such as autism spectrum disorder, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. Her group mainly studies humoral immunology and has expertise in molecular and cellular biology, biobanking and cDNA phage display.

Current projects focus on predictive biomarkers for autism spectrum disorder and novel biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and therapy response in rheumatic diseases. The role of self-reactive B cells in spinal cord injury and age-associated B cells in immune aging and multiple sclerosis pathology and progression are also being studied. The Somers lab has strong experience in the translation of research findings to clinical applications.