Tristan van Doormaal

My research focusses on the bench to bedside development of devices that improve outcome of patients with a neurosurgical disease. 

I started my research carreer as a PhD in the group of Prof CAF Tulleken and Prof A van der Zwan at the UMC Utrecht, and I co-invented several ways to make a bypass in the brain. These techniques were ultimately used to treat patients.

After my PhD, during my neurosurgical trianing, I invented and co-developed a new sealant (in the media it is referred to as 'plaster') to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage after brain surgery.  I did all developents under public private flag together with Polyganics BV, and the intellectual property (IP) was transferred from UMC Utrecht to this company to make the technique available for patients. The device (formally called 'Liqoseal') is now standard of care in Europe and under research in the USA.

A few years ago I started to do research with Augmented Reality to inform patients, train residents and provide active guidance during brain surgery. The IP I developed was tranferred to a UMC Utrecht spinoff called 'Augmedit'. I combine my function as a neurosurgeon, nowadays both in the UMC Utrecht and the University Medical Center in Zurich, Switserland, with being Chief Medical Officer of this company. My research group in the UMCU works closely together with Augmedit, the Prinsess Maxima Center and University Medical Center Zurich to design optimal software to inform patients, train residents and to ultimately prevent complications during brainsurgery.