Member info

• FACULTY:
  Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
• DEPARTMENT:
  Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering
• RESEARCH GROUP:
  Centre for Textile Science and Engineering (CTSE)
• FUNCTION:
  Full Professor and Head of CTSE
• WORK ADDRESS:
  Technologiepartk 70A, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
• PUBLICATIONS:
  ORCID
• SUMMARY:
  Karen De Clerck is an expert in advanced fibrous materials. Expertise was built on fiber material characterization, production and modification towards advanced applications including sensors, filtration membranes, composites and biomedical applications. Important focus is given to nanofiber materials, produced via electrospinning. These nanofiber materials offer many superior properties due to their porous nature and high specific surface area. De Clerck has expertise on the spinning of many types of nanofibers, ranging from very elastic materials to highly brittle materials, covering both organic polymers and ceramics, showcasing the versatility of these materials. In addition, the high surface area is ideal for including functionalities and thus designing these materials for specific end-applications, each with their own needs. The expertise on nanofiber materials for biomedical applications goes from skin care and wound healing applications, to novel drug delivery solutions based on nanofibers, towards colorimetric sensors and medical swabs for sampling of biological matrices. Worthwhile to mention are two projects for which Karen De Clerck acts as PI. The recently finished European project PolyBioSkin targeted to fully convert fiber materials to bio-sourced polymer fibers for skin care and wound-healing applications. De Clerck was task leader for the nanofiber development work. The running IOF StarTT project targets the strengthening of the development of swabs for sampling of biological matrices, for which a patent has been filed.
• EMAIL:
  Karen.DeClerck@UGent.be
• WEBLINK:
  https://www.ugent.be/ea/match/textiles/en