In the heart of Leuven, in a café called Dokteur, I meet Severine Vermeire. She is a medical doctor, specialized in  gastroenterology, and professor of medicine at KU Leuven. She leads a research group that in recent years made significant contributions in the field of inflammatory bowel diseases. As Research Coordinator, she also tries to build bridges between the various disciplines at the university. KU Leuven offered Severine many opportunities. Now, she wants to create opportunities for others. ‘I do not only want to care for patients, but also much more broadly for the university.’

The interview was conducted by Daan Delespaul in January 2025. Daan is a former editor (2018-2022) and editor-in-chief (2020-2021) of Veto and currently a PhD student at the KU Leuven Faculty of Social Sciences. 

What path did you travel to this university?

I grew up in Eeklo as the eldest of three children. My mother was a successful hairdresser, and my father was an accountant in Ghent. My parents worked hard. They taught me a number of core values that unconsciously contributed to my development: entrepreneurship, leadership and the motivation to work hard.

When I was eighteen, I hesitated for a long time between studying history and medicine. I actually wanted to become an archaeologist, because traveling and field work fascinated me a lot. But after the orientation days, it became clear to me that I wanted to study medicine. At the suggestion of our GP, I started my studies in Leuven since “KU Leuven has a great reputation”.

That turned out to be the best advice I received: the university has given me an incredible number of opportunities. After every internship and fellowship abroad – in Paraguay, Oxford and Montreal – I have always returned to Leuven. I have been working here for 25 years now. First as a staff member at the university hospital, and then at KU Leuven as a part-time lecturer, associate professor, professor and full professor.

What drives you in your role as an academic?

I find it very motivating to transfer a piece of my knowledge to young people. So students can  put some of my lessons into practice after graduation. After all, it is the next generation that has to make it happen in our society.

I once received a spontaneous applause after one of my lectures. This was really great! When those moments happen, you go home with a very big smile. At the same time, I thought: those young people don’t think I’m a boring old professor after all (laughs).

In the last ten years, you have been more and more involved in policy-making. You were a member of the UZ Leuven board of directors, as well as Department Chair, and currently you are Research Coordinator of the Biomedical Sciences Group. What attracts you in these policy-related positions?

The university is huge, diverse, and has many people and different interests and opinions. I want to harness this diversity to further prepare us for the challenges that lie ahead. It is better to be actively behind the wheel than to suffer the consequences from the sidelines. I do not only want to take care of patients, but also much more broadly of the university and everyone who works or studies at our university.

I do not only want to take care of patients, but also much more broadly of the university and everyone who works or studies at our university.

I get a lot of energy from being able to lead and inspire a team. In my research, I always try to develop a common vision together with my PhD students, postdocs and lab technicians that we then support together. I also find it very instructive to come into contact with all disciplines and units within the three Groups of this university – Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and Biomedical Sciences – as a Research Coordinator.

Last year, for example, we started a series of lunch seminars in which pairs of researchers – mostly engineers and medical doctors – explain how their interdisciplinary collaboration came about. Very fascinating to see this cross-fertilisation and what is possible at our university!

In your own field, gastroenterology, policy-making is often conducted by male colleagues: in the United States, for instance, about eight out of ten gastroenterologists are men. What is needed to balance the field?

Here too there is certainly work to be done. Fortunately, the influx of women is increasing, but the advancement to leadership positions remains flawed in too many instances. In the Biomedical Sciences Group, for example, the influx to the position of ZAP (independent academic staff), i.e. the professors, is 50/50, but among the full professors, only 20% are women. Career planning for women often stops with family expansion.

I think it is important to have female role models. Because we will never get enough women in leadership positions if we don’t set an example ourselves.

I think it is important to have female role models. Because we will never get enough women in leadership positions if we don’t set an example ourselves. And it is not only about the male-female ratio; our university is also very white.

Our society is not a white society, nor is it predominantly male. But you don’t see that at the most senior levels. I think we should actively look for more diversity in those positions. With different role models as a reflection of our diverse society.

Who are your own role models?

It may sound strange, but I never had one single role model. I have been inspired by many people. In the first place by my parents, who taught me that you get nothing for doing nothing, and that with hard work and perseverance one can get very far. I also think of my history and French teachers from secondary school. And at university my supervisor during internships, and later also the supervisor of my PhD.

Moreover, I am inspired by students who ask me interesting questions. I also get inspiration from my immediate colleagues every day. But it’s true that I haven’t had a wide range of female role models. I hope that this will change for young people in the near future.

You have co-authored hundreds of publications. What do you see as your greatest achievement?

That’s the hardest question you’ve asked me! Of course I am proud of a number of scientific achievements, which have led to better outcomes for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. But to be honest, I need to add immediately that most of what I have achieved is thanks to my team.

I am a big proponent of team science.

It’s never me-myself-and-I. In fact, I am a big proponent of team science. With my team, we hope to find the cause of chronic intestinal diseases. These conditions are benign, but they have a significant impact on the quality of life and patients also carry these conditions for life.

But I am most proud of the fact that patients, students or colleagues easily come to me for advice. Apparently I am not difficult to approach. I am very happy to give advice where I can, and I can also be discrete. I will always try to be supportive. Helping people move forward gives me a lot of satisfaction.

Finally, where can we find you once your workday is over?

Fortunately, at the kitchen table it is not about intestinal complaints and bowel movements. I have a 16-year-old daughter, and I like to listen to how her school day went. Children and certainly young adolescents give you a different view of the world. It’s not always a rose garden: you sometimes have difficult meetings, hard policy decisions to make, or patients who are not doing well. It’s good to be able to put that into perspective when you get home.

I like to end the day with a good book, usually in bed. On weekends there is usually more time and then on Sunday mornings I flip through the newspapers while enjoying a latte macchiato with some quiet music in the background.

Sunday mornings are undoubtedly my favorite time for sports. I try to run once or twice a week and I also do power training. Being able to anticipate the stress of the week is very important to me. A healthy mind in a healthy body!