Burden of disease - Long-Covid and other post-infection syndromes

Broadcaster, entrepreneur and human rights campaigner Norah Casey was formerly a Dragon in the popular television series Dragons’ Den and is a well-known radio and television personality. The 2nd Edition of her book Spark! was recently published by Penguin and her TEDx talks include The Cure for Grief and The Courage to leave (her own testimony of domestic violence). Her digital learning platform Planet Woman seeks to empower women, and much of her pro-bono work is devoted to mentoring female founders globally. She serves on the European Board for Vital Voices, established in 1997 by Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She is a founder of the London-based Women's Irish Network and is a member of The International Women's Forum. Norah is currently serving on the Irish government Forum on a Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament.

A journalist and former nurse, her awards include: Woman of the Decade Award from the Women’s Economic Forum in Delhi; Ireland’s Philanthropist of the Year award; five times Publisher of the Year; and Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year. Her work to highlight domestic violence was recognised with a Safe Ireland SÍLA Leadership Award and she received the 2019 Lord Mayor Of Dublin Award. She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and received the Honorary Graduate Award for 2018 from BFEI.

As well as owning Harmonia Publishing Ltd, Norah is an experienced broadcaster and producer. She was the Ambassador for Dublin Honours Magdalenes and executive producer of the 2022 television documentaries Ireland’s Dirty Laundry. Her work can be viewed at norahcasey.com.

Norah’s business expertise is extensive having acquired and grown multiple business to multi-million euro global success stories, as well as a wide range of business investments in Ireland and internationally. She has mentored leading global business leaders, politicians and public figures. Her corporate expertise includes leadership, corporate teambuilding, mentorship, innovation and strategy.

Nationality: Dutch 

Position: Intensivist, Spaarne Gasthuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Senior Scientist, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Research fields: Special interest in acute care and infectious diseases

ESWI member since 2016

Marco Goeijenbier completed his Ph.D. in virology, focusing on "Haemostasis and Virus Infection," at Erasmus University Rotterdam in 2015. He currently serves as a specialist in acute internal medicine and critical care at Spaarne Hospital in Haarlem, The Netherlands. His expertise spans various aspects of infectious diseases, particularly in critical care medicine and viral infections. In addition to his clinical work, Goeijenbier holds a research position at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, where he mentors PhD students exploring critical care medicine and viral infections. His research interests focus on severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) pathogenesis, epidemiology, and their interaction with the coagulation system.

Some of Goeijenbier’s most published articles include:

1. Presence of procoagulant peripheral blood mononuclear cells in severe COVID-19 patients relate to ventilation perfusion mismatch and precede pulmonary embolism 
2.  Determinants of vaccination uptake in risk populations: A comprehensive literature review. 
3. Benefits of flu vaccination for persons with diabetes mellitus. 
4. Early Patient-Triggered Pressure Support Breathing in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with COVID-19 May Be Associated with Lower Rates of Acute Kidney Injury

Dr. Goeijenbier is ESWI’s lead member and Chair in the Influenza Diabetes Community (IDC). The IDC connects leading diabetes, patient, scientific, and professional organizations around the common aim of protecting persons living with diabetes from influenza and other viral respiratory diseases like COVID-19.

Starting January 2023, Dr. Goeijenbier has taken on the role of Chair of Medical Research and Education at Spaarne Hospital. Furthermore, since January 2024, Marco is the Editor in Chief for Nature Springer Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine, and Vaccines.

Merel Hellemons is a pulmonologist at Erasmus MC, with a focus on lung transplantation. Together with her colleagues from the lung transplant team, she assesses and guides patients before and after a lung transplant. Hellemons has a special interest in (severe) interstitial lung disease, for which lung transplantation can sometimes be the last remaining treatment.

Furthermore, she is involved in post-COVID care, conducting scientific research and innovation on lung transplantation and recovery after COVID-19.