Endometriosis Zone editorial advisor

Philippe Robert Koninckx

Head of Endoscopic Surgery University Hospital KULeuven, Belgium
Visiting Professor Oxford University, UK
Visiting Professor University Cattolica, Roma, Italy
www.gynsurgery.org

Philippe Robert KONINCKX. (11-10-1945), a primus perpetuus of classic latin-greek high school, received his basic medical education at the Facultés Notre Dame de la Paix in Namur, Belgium, and his medical degree from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, where he trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology to become board certified in 1975. Subsequently he trained as an endocrinologist resulting in a PhD on ovarian endocrinology and became board certified in nuclear laboratory medicine in 1978. This led to clinical interests in hormone replacement therapy and reproductive medicine, and more recently in endoscopic surgery, reflected in successive appointments and research interests. As a student and registrar he developed and introduced at KULeuven the radioimmunoassays of angiotensins, LH, FSH and prolactin and became responsible for the routine hormonology laboratory up until 1996. Clinically he started a menopause clinic in 1981, and became successively in charge of infertility and IVF, and more recently head of the division of endoscopic surgery. Research interests are mostly centred on endometriosis as a cause of the LUF syndrome, as a NK cell related immunologic disease, as deeply infiltrating endometriosis, with emphasis on the CO2 laser endoscopic excision, and on the genetic aspects. He initiated the baboon project in Kenya in an attempt to develop an animal model for endometriosis. More recently, prevention of adhesion formation has become an additional focus of interest, together with a mouse model of human endometriosis. Academically he is a full professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at KULeuven, Belgium and since 1997 a visiting professor at Oxford University, UK. He is head of the division of endoscopic surgery at UZ Gasthuisberg in Leuven, and Director of the Center for Surgical Technologies, a training center in endoscopic surgery. Professor Koninckx is a board member of the VVOG (Flemish Society of OBGYN), of the ESGE (European Society of Gynaecologic Surgery), a founder-board member of the ESGOI (European Society of Gynaecological and Obstetrical Investigation), a former member of the board of trustees of the AAGL (American association of Gynaecological Laparoscopy), an associate editor of Human Reproduction, of Reviews in Gynaecological Practice, and of the Journal of the AAGL, a member of the steering committee of Oxagen Ltd, an advisor to the Endometriosis Association and TAP pharmaceuticals, as well as a director of OLS (Oxford-Leuven Surgery).