As of February 15, 2025, researcher and interventional neuroradiologist Irene van der Schaaf has been appointed as a professor at Utrecht University in the field of ‘Neurovascular Interventional Radiology.’ Her professorship, which falls under the strategic research programs Circulatory Health and Brain, is dedicated to scientific research on innovative image-guided treatments for patients with abnormalities in the brain’s blood vessels.
As a clinical researcher, Irene van der Schaaf specializes in image-guided endovascular treatments for cerebrovascular diseases such as aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations. These procedures involve inserting a thin catheter (microcatheter) through the groin to access the brain’s blood vessels. Under real-time X-ray imaging, the abnormality is treated using coils, a stent, or glue to prevent bleeding. “This approach allows us to treat vascular abnormalities from within, using live imaging, without the need for drilling or cutting into the skull,” Irene explains. This technique is often referred to as ‘surgery without incision.’ Irene focuses on researching and implementing improvements in these treatments through the use of new imaging techniques and artificial intelligence.
Irene discovered her passion for interventional radiology during her medical studies. “When I conducted research on endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms, I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to this field.” In 2005, she obtained her PhD with honors in neurovascular radiology under the supervision of Prof. Mali, Prof. Rinkel, and Prof. Velthuis. “My mission is to bridge the gap between technological innovations in image-guided treatments and their clinical impact on patients’ daily lives,” she states. “We must continue innovating, rigorously evaluating whether our treatments truly improve patients’ quality of life, and training future colleagues to the highest standard.” Together with her team, Irene integrates clinical work, research, and education to achieve these goals.
Interventional radiology is rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly important in healthcare. With an aging population and a growing number of patients with neurovascular conditions, advancements in prediction, treatment, and evaluation can significantly impact both patient outcomes and healthcare providers. The UMC Utrecht is a center of expertise for neurovascular malformations and subarachnoid hemorrhages. Irene’s professorship aligns with strategic choices previously made and builds upon the existing expertise within UMC Utrecht.
Irene is deeply committed to education, not only for students and healthcare professionals but also for patients. “Together with close colleagues from the Center for Academic Teaching and Learning, I engage in extensive discussions on how best to train healthcare professionals—both now and in the future. We aim to cultivate experts in their field who are also agile and adaptable to changes such as new technologies and evolving disease patterns.” Additionally, her professorship places a strong emphasis on patient education. Irene actively contributes to the development of educational materials, ensuring that individuals with neurovascular conditions have access to reliable information about treatments, for example, through the platform thuisarts.nl.
For Irene, the future is centered on innovation with the patient at the forefront. “With new imaging techniques and artificial intelligence, we can make treatments more streamlined and intuitive, enabling smarter and healthier workflows. These advancements will also help new professionals progress efficiently through their learning curves, allowing us to train the next generation more effectively. My vision is that in the future, treatments will be even more tailored to the individual patient, where innovation and evaluation continuously reinforce each other.” This ensures that every patient receives the best possible treatment at the right time.
The professorship serves as a bridge between research institutions and the medical technology industry. Irene: “It is crucial that we collaborate to improve patient care and ensure the future viability of our field.” Her role is closely linked to the EWUU alliance, the Dutch Contrast2 consortium, and the IMAGINE open innovation lab. Additionally, there are strong connections with various national and international clinical partners, the Image Sciences Institute (ISI), the computational imaging and 7 Tesla imaging groups, and the medical technology industry.
