Professor Pierre Smeesters

Professor Pierre Smeesters trained in paediatrics and paediatric infectious diseases at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium.

He is currently Medical Director of the Queen Fabiola University Children’s Hospital in Brussels and leads a research group in microbiology and infectious diseases at the European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology at ULB. His clinical and research career has included experience in diverse settings, including Peru, Brazil, and Australia.

He combines clinical leadership with teaching in paediatrics and microbiology and translational research. His main research interests include Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) pathogenesis and immunity, vaccine development, novel diagnostic approaches, and broader societal issues affecting child health.