Karen is a PhD researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). She holds a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Literature (Dutch and English) from Ghent University and a Master of Laws, specialising in international and European laws, from VUB.
Karen specialises in data protection law, with a particular focus on the governance and secondary use of health data. She also has practical experience, having previously worked as a data protection consultant on projects primarily in the life sciences sector. In addition, she is a member of the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the University Hospital Brussels, and the coordinator of the work group on GDPR at the Belgian Association of Research Ethics Committees (BAREC).
Her research focuses on the legal and ethical obstacles to using health data and human tissues in neuro-oncological research. It takes a distinctly patient-centred approach, emphasising patients' rights and ensuring that their voices are heard throughout the research process. Through legal-empirical research, it analyses challenges in regulations such as the GDPR and the EHDS, complemented by insights from relevant stakeholders.