Best Health Screening Solutions CEO 2025 (Belgium): Katleen Verleysen

Aug 11, 2025 - 14:00

Healthcare professionals are increasingly demanding quick, high quality testing technology for rapid and reliable results. Enter miDiagnostics, a healthcare technology company redefining the future of diagnostics and quality control tests for biomanufacturing, is meeting this need by redefining the future of diagnostics. Its innovative solutions are particularly relevant for the growing field of cell and gene therapies, where precision, speed, and scalability are critical. Steering this forward-thinking firm is Dr. Katleen Verleysen, its CEO and a key figure in the life sciences sector. We caught up with Katleen below for more information, in the wake of her recent recognition in the European CEO of the Year Awards 2025.

Dr. Katleen Verleysen is a visionary leader maintaining an impressive position at the very cutting-edge of advancement. Recognised as an instrumental player within the life sciences sector, she has dedicated more than two decades to advancing and enhancing its operations – leveraging her broad expertise to lead the charge. She is uniquely prepared to steer this mission, having achieved a significant volume of academic and professional success since first entering the field.

Katleen’s journey began with the achievement of a B.Sc. and PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Ghent University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University, North Carolina, within the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology. More recently, she has completed certification in Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Across her educational experiences, Katleen received a high calibre of rigorous scientific training that contributed towards reshaping her mindset. She developed an unwavering commitment to evidence-based thinking, analytical precision, and a continuous drive to explore and learn. These are principles that have long served Katleen, guiding her through every stage of her career in the life sciences sector.

Over the last 20 years, Katleen has been instrumental in founding, funding, and successfully exiting multiple biotech and medtech companies across both the US and Europe, holding various CEO, Senior Management positions, and Board roles across the sector. This has included serving as CEO at Pronota, CellSeeQ, and DNameIt; and holding Board of Director positions at ImmunExpress, PharmaFluidics, and the Center for Medical Innovation.

Every stage of Katleen’s professional journey has been a continuous learning experience – from producing early stage proof-of-concepts to delivering scalable products. These moments have taught Katleen how to effectively navigate complexity, build performing teams centred around a shared vision, and translate cutting-edge science into tangible value for patients and healthcare systems alike.

One of Katleen’s most recent endeavours has included entering the position of the new Chair of the Board of 4Tissue – a company on a mission to revolutionise breast reconstruction following breast cancer treatment through innovative regenerative medicine. Regardless of the project scope, Katleen leans upon her foundation of knowledge – acquired over two decades of hard work – to steer her decisions, guide her team, and achieve scientific excellence every step of the way.

“I draw from this broad experience daily,” she told us. “My scientific background helps me engage deeply with R&D; my entrepreneurial path sharpens my strategic thinking; and my leadership journey has taught me that success depends on authenticity, resilience, and creating environments where people can thrive. In short, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t just about direction; it’s about grit, clarity and communication, and consistently showing up with purpose. That’s how I aim to lead and continue to grow.”

Today, CEO Katleen stands at the helm of miDiagnostics, steering the team with an expert hand. miDiagnostics was founded in 2015, as a spin-out of the global nanoelectronics leader imec with a large scale strategic collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, a premier medical research facilitation. Now, the company is on a mission to redefine the future of diagnostics and quality control tests for biomanufacturing.

Connecting advanced engineering with critical medical needs, miDiagnostics supports a wide range of partners in pharmaceutical services, healthcare systems, and diagnostics. Its focus, however, lies in cell and gene therapy manufacturing – where its impact will be most tangible. After a decade, miDiagnostics now stands as a renowned company entrusted by its clientele to deliver forward-thinking solutions that are compliant with the most stringent regulatory standards.

miDiagnostics’ core programme focuses on rapid sterility testing for CAR-T and other advanced therapy batch releases. Using its proprietary silicon-based PCR technology, the company enables biopharmaceutical companies to dramatically reduce release times for life-saving therapies. In a highly specialised area – where every hour matters – miDiagnostics’ platform can help save countless lives by accelerating access to personalised treatments.

At the heart of miDiagnostics’ solutions is a revolutionary nanofluidic processer with embedded silicon technology, paired with a compact, user-friendly reader. This platform delivers lab-quality results from minimally invasive samples – with exceptional speed, reliability, and ease of use. By miniaturising and automating high-sensitivity molecular tests, miDiagnostics effectively eliminates the traditionally enforced trade-off between quality and speed in decentralised settings.

“What began as a high-potential research initiative has evolved into a scalable, real-world solution that will become an integral part of advanced therapy workflows,” Katleen told us in reflection. “While we are still early in this journey, the foundation we are building is robust – aimed at lasting impact for both patients and the biopharmaceutical industry.”

To ensure that its solutions benefit all – patients and professionals alike – miDiagnostics takes an approach rooted in co-creation. Rather than offering off-the-shelf solutions, the company opts to build them alongside its partners, beginning each client engagement by first developing a deep, collaborative understanding of their specific needs, both scientific and operational. With this strategic approach, miDiagnostics does not merely work with its clientele, but works as one with them.

At the heart of everything miDiagnostics does lies a deep commitment to people. Whether pushing the boundaries of diagnostic science, pivoting an entire business, or navigating complex ecosystems, the company has and always will champion an unfaltering dedication to promoting the human side of innovation. As Katleen explained: “Innovation only matters if it reaches patients, if it empowers teams, and if it transforms lives. That is the lens I apply to every decision I make as a CEO.”

Katleen leads miDiagnostics with kindness, authenticity, and deep humanity. She believes that strong leadership does not begin with hierarchy or authority: it begins with the ability to connect, to listen with empathy, and to foster an environment in which people feel seen, respected, and empowered to contribute their very best. At the core of Katleen’s approach stands clear and transparent communication about the company’s vision, strategy, and most importantly, its values.

With that clarity in place, Katleen has empowered miDiagnostics to build a foundation of trust – within the team and its broader ecosystem. This ecosystem is complex: comprising investors, project sponsors, commercialisation partners, suppliers, design houses, and more. Success in this networked climate is not merely about execution for miDiagnostics, but about alignment. For Katleen, it is about creating a win-win mindset, where every stakeholder feels as if they are part of something larger than themselves.

“This can only be achieved through a leadership style that combines vision with humility; direction with openness; and strategy with compassion,” she informed us. “I believe in leading as a human first: showing up honestly, listening actively, and engaging others as equals. Ultimately, my goal as a leader is to help create not just high-performing teams, but purpose-driven communities, where people feel inspired to go beyond what they thought possible, because they believe in the mission and in each other.”

Of course, the journey has not been without its challenges for miDiagnostics, though Katleen’s strategic, human-centric approach has driven the company forward even in the face of adversity. One of the most defining challenges Katleen has faced during her time at miDiagnostics has been navigating the transition from COVID-19 to a post-pandemic landscape.

At the height of the pandemic, miDiagnostics developed one of the fastest, most accurate RT-qPCR tests on the market – a true benchmark in point-of-care diagnostics. When the urgency of the pandemic subsided, however, so too did the demand for such solutions. As with many diagnostic companies, miDiagnostics was faced with a stark reality: choose reinvention or risk irrelevancy.

Whilst the industry moved en masse toward respiratory panels and STI testing, miDiagnostics made the deliberate and bold decision to pivot towards pharmaceutical services – focusing specifically on the field of sterility testing in cell and gene therapy, where their PCR platform can have a transformative impact. This pivot not only required technological reorientation, but also strong leadership through a period of great uncertainty.

“Investors were understandably cautious,” Katleen recalled, “internal teams were anxious about the unknown and external stakeholders were divided in their expectations. Yet we remained committed to our vision, adapting quickly, communicating transparently, and making data-driven decisions to realign the organisation around a new, more sustainable direction. That strategic shift is now proving to be highly successful.”

A second significant obstacle that miDiagnostics has navigated has been scaling its platform from lab-scale prototypes to industrial-grade, validated systems that can operate reliably at scale. Innovation within the field of diagnostics can be inconsistent, often stalling between proof-of-concept and real-world implementation. miDiagnostics, however, has made significant strives in this sphere by embracing multidisciplinary collaboration, conducting rigorous validation, and engaging world-class partners to accelerate industrialisation efforts, such as Thermo Fisher.

Since joining miDiagnostics, Katleen has directly demonstrated that when an individual is willing to question their assumptions, adapt strategically, and lead with clarity, transformation not only becomes possible, but impactful. This attitude towards emerging obstacles has shaped Katleen’s approach, opened her eyes to the importance of authenticity and transparency in leadership – enabling her to better serve her team at miDiagnostics.

“I believe we need to talk more openly about resilience in leadership,” she told us. “Not just celebrating success, but acknowledging the ambiguity, the pivots, and the tough calls that come with building something meaningful. True leadership is not about having all the answers; it is about being willing to listen, adapt, and bring others with you on the journey.”

And for miDiagnostics, the journey is far from over; as we progress through 2025, the company is focused on expanding its pharmaceutical services offering – with a particular emphasis on ultra-fast, high-performance PCR sterility testing for CAR-T and other Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products. These are areas where demand for speed, reliability, and compliance is only increasing over time and, under Katleen’s expert guidance, miDiagnostics is well-positioned to support that growth.

As for Katleen, she has never been one to follow a formal career plan. Instead, the CEO has been fortunate to encounter opportunities throughout her journey, making conscious decisions based on where she currently is in life, the impact she believes she can make, and the time and energy she can commit to each project. These ventures are never financially motivated, instead driven by purpose – specifically the potential for science and technology to create meaningful change for patients and society.

Equally important to Katleen is giving back. She believes it her responsibility to mentor the next generation of leaders – especially CEOs navigating the complex landscape of life sciences. Having walked the path from deep academic science to venture-backed entrepreneurship and executive leadership, Katleen recognises that sharing what she has learned and learning from them in return is one of the most meaningful ways she can contribute to shaping a future built on purpose and innovation.

Moving forward, Katleen informed us that she will continue to observe the broader industry as it advances, keeping a close eye on specific areas of interest. She shared: “Looking ahead, I remain energised by the promise of cell and gene therapies to redefine the boundaries of medicine. I’m also increasingly intrigued by the frontiers of neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and their broader implications for human health and society. These are not just intellectual results; they reflect a deep curiosity about the future of life, cognition, and connection.”