Andy Gijbels
Papers
19
Total Citations
565
H-Index
11
About
Andy Gijbels is a pioneering biomedical engineer whose research sits at the compelling intersection of robotics, medical device development, and ophthalmic surgery. His work has been almost entirely dedicated to solving one of medicine's most technically demanding challenges: enabling safe, precise treatment of retinal vein occlusion (RVO), a leading cause of severe vision loss worldwide. Gijbels has made landmark contributions to the design and development of robotic systems capable of performing retinal vein cannulation — a procedure so delicate that human hands alone cannot reliably execute it. His research spans the full translational arc, from early robotic manipulator design and teleoperation systems (2013–2014) to sophisticated force-sensing and OCT-integrated needles that give surgeons real-time feedback at microscale precision. His 2017 in vivo porcine validation studies laid critical groundwork for human trials, culminating in a watershed 2018 achievement: the world's first in-human robot-assisted retinal vein cannulation, now cited over 120 times. A subsequent Phase I clinical trial published in 2020 further confirmed the approach's safety and feasibility. With a cumulative body of work exceeding 500 citations, Gijbels represents a rare engineer whose laboratory innovations have translated directly into the operating theatre, potentially transforming care for millions of patients with sight-threatening vascular disease.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1In-Human Robot-Assisted Retinal Vein Cannulation, A World First122 citations · 2018
- 2Design and realisation of a novel robotic manipulator for retinal surgery85 citations · 2013
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- 4Design of a teleoperated robotic system for retinal surgery47 citations · 2014
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