prof. dr. Kris Vissers

About Kris Vissers

Kris Vissers is anesthesiologist, professor in Pain and Palliative Medicine and chairman of the Radboud Expertise Center of Pain and Palliative Medicine of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands. He is also the chair of the Acute Pain Care improvement program of the academic hospital. 

He obtained his graduation in Medical Sciences at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and his graduation as an Anesthesiologist at the University of Antwerp and the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) in 1993. He specialized in pain management in Leuven (B) and Nijmegen (NL), with Prof. Dr. H. Adriaensen, Prof. Dr. H. van Aken, Prof. Dr. L. Booij and Prof. Dr. B. Crul. As of 1995 he was staff member of the University affiliated Hospital East-Limburg, Genk, Belgium where he founded the Multidisciplinary Pain Center. He was visiting consultant for the palliative care unit and hospital team. He was consultant for the home care organization in Palliative Care "Pallium" in Limburg (B). 

He obtained the degree of doctor in the medical sciences Ph.D. in 2004 at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, The Netherlands. Also, he graduated as Fellow in Interventional Pain Practice for the World Institute of Pain (U.S.A.) in 2004.

Since 2005, he is Professor in Pain and Palliative Medicine. He is President Elect of the World Institute of Pain, Honorary Secretary of the Benelux Chapter of the World Institute of Pain and the first chairman of the Dutch Society of Multidisciplinary Palliative Care Professionals[1], chapter of the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) and board member of the Dutch Pain Society, chapter of the IASP.

His main research interests are (1) translational approach and research on neuropathic pain, (2) practical and ethical application of palliative sedation, (3) proactive care and identification of patients in a palliative trajectory, (4) quality indicators of the organization and practice of pain and palliative medicine, (5) e-health and telemedicine in transmural care programs (6) decision making in palliative care and end-of-life and (7) the description of competences and performances for the education and training in pain and palliative medicine.

He succeeded together with his young research group in getting external funding resources for major research projects in pain and palliative care (Europall, 7th framework, ZonMw, NWO, KWF, STW).

He is author of more than 160 publications in international peer reviewed journals and contributed to more than 20 textbooks. He contributes to local and national education with regular articles in Belgian and Dutch journals for physicians and for the lay public. He is frequently asked as speaker during national and international congresses and teaching courses. He is promotor of 26 PhD students in his topics of interest. He organized 7 international congresses and workshops. He was member of several scientific committees  of congresses.

Personal prizes & awards

• 2011: Third best poster price on the Dutch Society of Anesthesiology, Pain Sectin Congres (NVA sectie Pijn - VVAP congres), Brugge
• 2011: Best poster price on the Dutch Society of Anesthesiology, Pain Section congress (NVA sectie Pijn - VVAP) congres, Brugge
• 2011: Best poster price EAPC congres, Glasgow
• 2011: Third best poster price EAPC congress, Glasgow
• 2009: Best poster award on the National Congres of Nursing Home physicians of the Netherlands
• 2000: co-author of "Cerebral IL-6 production and temporary artery clipping during cerebral aneurysm surgery", Book of Abstracts, 12th World Congress of Anaesthesiologists, Montréal: Best Poster Award
• 1999: Best Free Paper, 7th Annual ESRA Congress, Istanbul. "The effects of cervical epidural steroid/lidocaïne injections on pulmonary function in patients with cervicobrachialgia" (co-author)