Prof. dr. G. (Gijs) van Soest, PhD

Minimally invasive interventions have augmented or replaced many forms of open surgery. In cardiology, coronary artery disease, valve insufficiency, rhythm disorders and various structural heart conditions can be treated in catheter-based interventions. Such procedures depend critically on fast, reliable, unambiguous imaging, as there is no direct line of sight on the working field. X-ray is the conventional mode of image guidance, but this has limitations in image contrast, resolution, and representation of 3D information. There is a need for innovative technologies that visualize pathology, interventional devices, and treatment effect.

Van Soest leads the research group “Invasive imaging”, which investigates catheter-based imaging technologies, primarily aimed at guidance of cardiovascular interventions but with an eye to other applications (diagnostic imaging, imaging in lung or gastrointestinal tract) as well. His group uses optical and ultrasonic techniques to provide high-resolution images of (interventions in) the heart and vessels, researching new modes of image contrast, new device concepts, and automated image analysis techniques, covering the spectrum from basic research to clinical studies. Recent work includes tissue characterization in atherosclerosis, imaging of ablation lesions in treatment of atrial fibrillation, and high-speed intracoronary imaging.

• Optical coherence tomography
• ultrasound
• photoacoustics
• atherosclerosis
• intravascular imaging
• medical devices
• catheters

Van Soest is an experimental physicist by training (MSc Rijksuniversiteit Groningen 1997). He started working in optics and light scattering during his PhD (Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2001). He worked as a postdoc at the Royal Netherlands Meteorology Institute (KNMI) to investigate atmospheric ozone profiles using satellite-borne spectrometers. In 2005 he joined the Biomedical Engineering group of the Thorax Center at Erasmus MC. Starting a new research topic in optical imaging and taking on the existing research in intravascular ultrasound, he developed his own research line. He became a member of the faculty in 2010 and was appointed Associate Professor in 2015.

Google Scholar

• Supervised ~14 PhD theses to date (copromotor), many MSc and BSc theses and internships.
• Lectured at short courses and schools (Marie Curie ITN, EMIM, Universiteit Twente)
• Erasmus MC BSc programs: LM-9 Imaging of coronary atherosclerosis (Ba1B), minor “Medicine for technical students”, Clinical Technology Ba2/3 courses.

• Editor for Biomedical Optics Express, Photoacoustics, Cardiology Journal.
• Founder and Scientific Lead, Kaminari Medical BV
• Founder and scientific director, Optics in Cardiology conference
• Scientific leader of Medical Delta NIMIT
• Member of the Scientific Council, Netherlands Heart Institute.
• Member of the Expert Panel for Experimental Medical Instruments Core Facility (Erasmus MC).
• Member of the Talent and Innovation Council (Erasmus MC).

• NWO Vici 2018
• Raine Visiting Professor UWA 2016