Limburg Clinical Research Center

The academic clinical research center of UHasselt, ZOL and Jessa that contributes to better healthcare.

The Limburg Clinical Research Centre (LCRC) is a unique collaboration between Hasselt University, Jessa Hospital and the Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL). We want to improve our healthcare, by combining both academic research and clinical practice. Through patient-oriented, medical-scientific research, we work towards finding innovative solutions to needs in daily clinical practice. As an internationally oriented academic-medical knowledge center in Limburg, LCRC aims to form an important stimulus for top medical care, academic education and healthcare innovation in Limburg and Flanders.

Medical clusters

Cardiology

How can we improve the quality of healthcare for heart patients - both in hospitals and at home? Research focuses on developing:supporting prediction methods for optimal heart valve surgery;

  • methods to give patients more insight into their heart condition and to increase their therapy compliance;
  • a better treatment for heart failure.

Oncology

How can we provide cancer patients with better treatment? Which innovations are needed to respond to the daily clinical needs of patients and specialists in this field? In this research cluster, LCRC focuses on:

  • developing methods to reduce the side effects of cancer treatment (based on laser therapy) and gaining a better understanding of the success rate of treatments (based on metabolomics);
  • ​​further developing the oncology data platform which uses Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and clinical indicators to improve cancer care;​
  • ​biomarker research.​

Gynaecology / fertility

How can we improve the quality of healthcare for (high-risk) pregnant women and women who have a desire for children? These questions guide the research within this cluster with research on:

  • Strategies and techniques to predict and improve the follow up of pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia;
  • Better (and cheaper) fertility treatments (sperm bank; low cost in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)).

Infectious diseases

How can we improve the quality of healthcare for specific patient populations with infectious diseases? And how can we strengthen general healthcare for patients with infectious diseases by taking an immunological and genetic approach? In this cluster, research is primarily focused on:
  • identifying factors that contribute to the origin and severity of infectious disease processes such as appendicitis;
  • developing strategies for enhanced prevention, screening and treatment of infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C.

Anaesthesia / neurology

This research is based on the expertise of clinicians in the field of anaesthesia, neurology, intensive care and emergency medicine. Research is mainly focused on:
  • predicting and limiting neurological damage using innovative measurement techniques, including measuring different critical parameters during resuscitation in order to increase patients' chances of survival;
  • studying the "outcome" of patients after minimally invasive surgery and options for improvement.

Orthopedics

Through medical scientific research, they search for ways to optimize orthopaedic treatments and rehabilitation processes. The focus is primarily on:
  • innovative surgery and movement technology;
  • mHealth applications.

In addition to these medical clusters, LCRC also wants to encourage new research initiatives from other medical domains.


Scientific platforms

Universitaire Biobank Limburg (UBiLim)

An extensive, high-quality biobank is an indispensable (and legally required) resource in clinical and translational (bio)medical research. Ultimately, top-medical research always starts with well-documented human body material.

In UBiLim, blood, bone marrow, urine, and tissues among others - along with patients’ disease status - are collected and stored for research studying hematological disorders, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, among others. Thanks to UBiLim, LCRC (and other) researchers have access to a unique collection of interesting patient samples, as well as top expertise in sample processing and storage. The access to these resources saves LCRC (and other) researchers a lot of valuable time, because they can start their research sooner.

UBiLim is committed to quality assurance. The biobank meets all national and international standards and regulations, and also participates in Belgian and European initiatives related to biobanking.

University Biobank Limburg (UBiLim)

Mobile Health Unit (MHU) & Data Science

In recent years, the Mobile Health Unit (MHU) has grown into a successful and internationally renowned center of expertise in mHealth.
The MHU does not only conduct academic-scientific research into the medical, clinical and socio-economic added value of mHealth. We also support and guide companies in their mHealth innovation processes from bench to bedside.

Innovation in healthcare is teamwork. The MHU is therefore strongly committed to community formation. We bring together healthcare professionals, patient associations, industrial partners, SME’s,  research institutions and governments to exchange experiences, knowledge and ideas. Additionally, we also give our partners access to our clinical testing ground so that they can test and validate their mHealth applications in patients in clinical practice.

In order to improve care processes sustainably, a lot of health data are needed. From the start, the MHU has invested in data sciences via the “Dharma” data platform. This platform plays a key role in the development of mobile follow-up strategies of various patient populations such as high-risk pregnant women, hip and knee patients and chronic pain patients.

Mobile Health Unit
Scientist En Microscope

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Platform 

Belgium is a world leader in clinical trials. Every year, more than 500 trials are conducted in our country. This is a huge advantage for scientific research as well as for the patients who get faster access to pioneering treatments which are not yet available everywhere else. But the regulations to which those clinical trials are subjected are becoming increasingly stricter and more complex. Strong expertise in this domain is therefore crucial.

Both Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL) and Jessa Hospital have their own Clinical Trial Unit (CTU), that is recognized for KCE Trials and that can leverage new research projects and funding. This expertise is used to carry out the LCRC research projects according to the applicable standards.

Jessa Logo Wit

Jessa ziekenhuis - Campus Virga Jesse Stadsomvaart 11 - 3500 Hasselt

Uhasselt Liggend

UHasselt - Campus Diepenbeek Agoralaan Gebouw D - 3590 Diepenbeek

Zol Logo

Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg - Campus Sint-Jan​ Synapspark 6 - 3600 Genk