Dr. Ruben De Groote

CEO

Dr. Ruben De Groote is the current CEO of 4Health and its digital learning platform Surgquest. Ruben is a consultant urologist at the Onze Lieve Vrouw Hospital Aalst in Belgium with a focus and interest on robotic surgery and uro-oncology. 

He has been trained and mentored by Prof. Dr. Alex Mottrie and did a dedicated fellowship robotic surgery at University College London. 

Also, Ruben is a PhD candidate at KU Leuven and Orsi Academy by which he is examining the added value of proficiency based progression training for the adoption of basic robotic skills.

Inge Meesters

COO

Inge is the Chief Operating Officer of 4 Health Belgium. Her main focus is on building and implementing the company operational strategy.

She has a multi-disciplinary background as she graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven as a Master in Commercial Sciences majoring in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. After that, she got a 2nd Master's degree in Economics, Law & Business Studies.

With several years of experience in management consulting with a focus on (international) strategic growth, she is well-equipped to contribute to 4 Health Belgium’s growth story!

Dr. Eduard Roussel

Urology lead

Dr. Eduard Roussel is a senior resident in Urology at the University Hospitals Leuven with a special interest in uro-oncology and continued medical education. He obtained a PhD at the Catholic University of Leuven on patient selection strategies throughout the renal cancer disease spectrum and continues both translational and clinical research within the field of renal cancer and uro-oncology. 

He is also a full member of the European Association of Urology (EAU) Young Academic Urologists (YAU) renal cancer working group since 2018, participating in research projects across the globe.

Dr. Ellen Hagopian

Hepatobiliary surgery lead

Dr. Ellen Hagopian is a Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgeon and holds the academic post of Associate Professor of Surgery and Medical Education and the Assistant Dean for Clinical Education at University of Toledo College of Medicine in Toledo, Ohio, USA.

Dr. Hagopian was trained in General Surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and subsequently in minimally invasive surgery at New York Medical College in New York, USA. She was further trained in Hepatobiliary Surgery at Centre Hépatobiliare, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France, under the tutelage of the Pr. Henri Bismuth. Dr. Hagopian’s current surgical practice at the University of Toledo in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery has a particular focus in minimally invasive and robotic surgery.

Dr. Hagopian has served on multiple educational committees for Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA), Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) and American College of Surgeons (ACoS). She has held multiple surgical education leadership positions, including Chair of the AHPBA Education and Training Committee, Chair of the ACoS previous National Ultrasound Faculty, and Chair of the AHPBA Ultrasound Subcommittee. She also serves as Associate Editor for HPB.

Dr. Hagopian is an accomplished educator and has been a leader in surgical training, including HPB ultrasound training and technical skills training courses for HPB Surgeons and Fellows in North America. Her research interests focus in surgical education, in particular in surgical ultrasound and surgical skills assessment.

Dr. Riccardo Bertolo

Urology lead

Riccardo Giuseppe Bertolo works as an Assistant Professor of Urology at the University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

He did a PhD in Bioengineering applied to Medical-Surgical sciences at the Polytechnic of Turin - Italy - and attended a research fellowship in robotic urology at Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, Ohio, USA).

He conducts his clinical practice at Borgo Trento Hospital in Verona, Italy. His surgical activity is focused on urologic minimally-invasive surgery (mostly robot-assisted) for the treatment of prostate, kidney, and urothelial cancers, and benign ureteral diseases.

His research fields predominantly cover urologic oncology, with particular interest in kidney cancer, and technological innovations in minimally-invasive surgery. He published over 200 papers in the most prestigious peer-reviewed urology/surgery journals and serves as a reviewer for over 40 peer-reviewed journals, including the most prestigious urology journals.

Within the European Association of Urology (EAU), he is a Full Member of the Young Academic Urologists - Renal Cancer Working Party and an EAU robotic urology section (ERUS) Associate Member. He serves as Associate Editor for the European Association of Urology Educational Platform on Kidney Cancer (UroOnco platform).

Prof. Dr. François Hervé

Urology lead

François Hervé, MD, PhD is a consultant urological surgeon and academic urologist, working at Gent University Hospital, Belgium. His clinical activities encompass the diagnosis and treatment of male and female urinary incontinence, pelvic floor disorders and neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunctions.

Join him on this remarkable journey where the synergy of medical expertise and cutting-edge technology creates new possibilities in the dynamic fields of functional urology and neurourology.

His steadfast conviction lies in the ability of robotic surgery techniques to reshape the approach to medical conditions, extending their benefits far beyond oncology to patients with functional disorders."

Dr. Carlos Collet

Cardiology lead

Carlos Collet completed his education as an interventional cardiologist at the Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2011, with subsequent training in cardiac computed tomography angiography at the Holy Cross Hospital, Florida, USA. Dr. Collet continued his education with a doctorate in Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. His Ph.D. thesis focused on integrating coronary imaging and physiology in patients with complex coronary artery disease. Dr. Collet has published more than 300 peerreviewed articles and is the co-director of the catheterisation laboratory at the Cardiovascular Center OLV Aalst in Belgium.

Dr. Stefano Pulliati

Nextgen lead

Stefano Puliatti, 37 years old, works as a Consultant Urologist at the Urology Department of the University Hospital (AOU) in Modena. He is also Assistant Professor in urology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

He obtained his degree in Medicine and specialization in Urology at the University of Modena. He then moved to Belgium, where he completed a clinical and research fellowship at OLV – Hospital under the guidance of Prof. Alexandre Mottrie, one of the pioneers and leading experts in robotic-assisted surgery. For 2 years, he served as Deputy Medical Director of Orsi Academy (Melle, Belgium), considered one of the most important global center for robotic surgery training.

His surgical activity focuses on minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery for the treatment of malignant and benign urological conditions.

His research is centered on uro-oncology, the application of new technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of urological conditions, and training in minimally invasive surgery.

He has published more than 130 scientific papers in prestigious urological journals and numerous book chapters. He serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals and holds the position of OCERT Advisory Board member. OCERT (The "ORSI Consensus on European Robotic Training") is a non-profit society aiming to create valid and effective robotic training programs.

He is a full member of the Urotechnology Working Group of YAU (EAU Young Academic Urologists), a group of European urologists under 40 y.o. who have demonstrated excellence in the scientific field.

Dr. Puliatti is also a member of the Educational Training Committee in the Robotic Surgery section of the Italian Endourology Association (IEA) and a member of the Scientific Office - Training and Education Committee of the Italian Society of Urology (SIU).

He teaches Interdisciplinary Sciences in the Bachelor's degree in OBGYN and serves as a lecturer in Systematic Pathologies in the Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Modena.

Since 2022, he holds the Italian national scientific qualification to be Full professor of Urology.

Dr. Puliatti is co-founder and lead of the Nextgen event, a yearly live surgery event, during which young proficient surgeons get the opportunity to show their skills during live surgery, guided and mentored by senior experts according to the proficiency-based progression methodology. 

Prof. Dr. Med. Piotr Suwalski

Cardiothoracic surgery lead

Director of the National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration

Professor Piotr Suwalski, MD, PhD, is a distinguished cardiac surgeon and researcher. He is a leading authority on innovative cardiac surgery techniques in Poland, Europe and internationally. On March 8, 2024, he assumed the role of Director of the National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (PIM MSWiA). Prior to this appointment, he has served as the Head of the Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation at the PIM MSWiA since 2012.

Professor Suwalski possesses extensive experience in pioneering cardiac surgical techniques. Both before and after completing his postdoctoral qualification (habilitation), he has performed a significant number of innovative procedures in Poland, Europe, and across the globe. These procedures encompass surgical interventions for supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias (including atrial fibrillation), left atrial appendage occlusion, and minimally invasive thoracoscopic valve surgery.

Professor’s research endeavors concern:

• application of novel energy sources and techniques in surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (clinical and experimental work),
• identification of indications for repair of ischaemic mitral regurgitation,
• application of minimally invasive techniques and new methods in mitral regurgitation repair,
• surgical treatment of coronary artery disease,
• exploration of new possibilities for using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cardiac surgery,
• evaluation of the role of bacteria in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary vessel,
• research on the culture and properties of cardiac fibroblasts and human cardiomyocytes.

Academic background

A native of Warsaw, he graduated with honours from the First Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University of Warsaw in 2000. He subsequently earned his doctorate in medical sciences with highest honors (summa cum laude) in 2005. His doctoral dissertation Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Surgical Atrial Fibrillation Using various surgical techniques was granted the Rector's Second Degree Award for its innovative approach and significant contribution to the field. In 2009, he defended his habilitation dissertation at the Silesian Medical University in Katowice. This thesis focused on the effectiveness of surgical ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation, depending on the techniques and energy sources employed. Professor Suwalski's outstanding scientific achievements culminated in his being awarded the prestigious title of Professor in Medical and Health Sciences in 2019.

Training, internships, and professional education

Throughout his career, he gained valuable experience at renowned cardiology institutions, including the Herzzentrum Leipzig under the leadership of Professor Friedrich-Wilhelm Mohr. Additionally, he has enriched his knowledge and skills through clinical and research placements at esteemed centers in the Netherlands and Germany.

Lecturing career

He has supervised a total of 52 undergraduate (BA) and master's (MA) theses, 32 of which were completed at the Warsaw Medical University (19 MA and 13 BA theses) and 20 at the UTH (20 MA theses). His mentorship extends to the next generation of cardiac surgeons. Professor Suwalski currently supervises the specialization track of five promising young cardiac surgeons, two of whom have already successfully completed their specialization exams. He has also nurtured doctoral-level scholarship, having supervised one doctoral dissertation that resulted in the award of a PhD with honors. Professor Suwalski's guidance continues with four currently active doctoral projects under his supervision. Furthermore, Professor Suwalski serves as the Head of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the School of Medical Sciences within the Medical Centre for Postgraduate Education (CMKP).

Authorship

Professor Suwalski's prolific research career is evidenced by his authorship of around 300 scientific papers. The Impact Factor of his publications exceeds 300, a measure of his influence within the scientific community. Professor Suwalski's expertise is further reflected in his contributions to numerous European and American guidelines for treating various cardiac conditions.

His expertise is further recognized through his editorial roles with esteemed national and international scientific journals. These include Innovation: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery and The Multimedia Manual of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (MMCTS).

Scientific Societies

From 2020 to 2021, he served as chairman of the Cardiac Surgery Section of the Polish Society of Cardiology and secretary of the Association Club of Polish Cardiac Surgeons. He actively participates in numerous structures within the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and holds a position on the Board of the European Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (ESCVS).

He holds the distinction of being the only Polish member and one of only two Europeans within the prestigious 21st Century Cardiac Surgery Society, a select group of 57 global leaders in the field. His leadership extends beyond national borders, as evidenced by his previous term (2019-2021) as President of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (ISMICS). His dedication to ISMICS began in 2015 with his involvement on the Membership Committee, followed by his participation on the Chitwood Award Committee since 2017.

Innovations & Contributions

Professor Suwalski has fostered international cooperations with over 60 esteemed centers across Europe, the United States, and Canada to perform many of these innovative procedures. Notably, his cooperation with the Utrecht Medical Center, University of Utrecht, yielded significant results. Together, they conducted a series of groundbreaking experimental studies that led to eight international patents and the awarding of grants from the European Union. This research program primarily focused on developing novel technologies for minimally invasive, thoracoscopic, and percutaneous treatment of arrhythmias.

He played a pivotal role in establishing the first lung transplant center in Mazovia and central Poland, facilitating the region's first successful lung transplant in 2022. Furthermore, he co-founded and currently manages the Extracorporeal Therapy Centre at the PIM MSWiA. This center has become the largest in Poland and ranks among the top facilities in Europe for the number of ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) therapies performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it may boast the highest number of mobile ECMO transports in Europe during the same period.

Prizes & Awards

Professor Suwalski is the recipient of prestigious awards, including the European Council for Cardiovascular Research award, the Scandinavian Society for Research in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery award, and the TERAZ POLSKA award for pioneering minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques, which he received in collaboration with his exceptional clinic team. His dedication to his field has also been acknowledged through national honors, including the Golden Cross of Merit, Distinguished Service to Health - the Order for COVID Service and Activity, and the Presidential Cross of Regaining Independence.

Prof. Dr. Riccardo Schiavina

Urology lead

Professional course

• Medical degree in 1999, University of Bologna (110/110)
• Degree of Urologist in 2005, University of Bologna (110/110)
• Since 1^st January 2006 till 1^st November 2008: Urologist at Dept. Urology, University of Bologna at S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
• Since 1^st November 2008 till 1^st November 2014: Assistant Professor at Dept. Urology, University of Bologna at S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
• Since 1^st November 2014: Associate Professor in Urology at Dept. Urology, University of Bologna at S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
• Since 1^st November 2021: Professor in Urology at Dept. Urology, University of Bologna at S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
• Head of residency School of Urology, University of Bologna, Italy
• Head of Robotic Urological Program, IRCCS S.Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy

Howards and honours

• Head of Imaging Section, Italian Association of Urology (SIU) (2014-2017)
• Past Associate Member EAU Section Urological Imaging (ESUI)
• Head of “Laser Program” for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy at the Department of Urology (DIMES), University of Bologna
• Extensor of Italian Guidelines for Italian Society of Urology in the field of Prostate cancer biopsy, Urinary infection, PET imaging in Urology
• Past Member of the Scientific Committee of Italian Society of Uro-oncology (SIUro)
• Member of the scientific committee of the Master of Robotic Urological Surgery at the University of Bologna and Tutor of Robotic- Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
• Member of the scientific committee of Advanced Studies in Urological Oncology Foundation (SAMUR Foundation)
• Member of the scientific committee of Doctorate (PhD) in Cardiologic-Nephro-Urologic and Thoracic Science, University of Bologna

Research activities and grants

• Main research activities are directed to uro-oncology, in particular to new imaging and molecular techniques for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (Multiparametric MRI, new metabolic radiotracers for PET/CT, CTC and FPDNA).

• Lead investigator of “DNA-free, CTC and micrometastases in prostate cancer diagnosis and staging” study (private grant)
• Lead investigator of the Urological Group of an Italian search in the field of prostate cancer imaging titled: "ANTI -3-18F-FACBC VS 11C-CHOLINE IN PTS TREATED FOR PROSTATE CANCER" (public grant)
• Co-investigator of “Magnetic resonance imaging Spectroscopy and PET/CT in the diagnosis of prostate cancer” study (public grant)
• Co-investigator of “DaVinci System in prostate cancer treatment” project (public grant)

• Member of MIRROR (MULTICENTER ITALIAN REPORT on RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: OUTCOME and RESEARCH)

• Member of SATURN (Surveillance and Treatment Update on Renal Neoplasms Project)
• Member of RECORD (Conservative Renal Surgery Register in Italy)

International Fellowship

• ORSI (Vittikuti Robotic Surgery Institute) Department Of Urology, Aalst, Belgium in the field of robotic surgery (2016)
• S. Raffaele Institute, Vita e Salute University, Milan, Italy in the field of Laser Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (2010)

Editorial activities

• Past Associate editor of World Journal of Clinical Urology
• Member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Urology
• European Urology (reviewer)
• European Urology Focus (reviewer)
• Journal of Urology (reviewer)
• British Journal of Urology International (reviewer)
• European Radiology (reviewer)
• Journal of Sexual Medicine (reviewer)
• World Journal of Clinical Urology (reviewer)
• BioMed Research International (reviewer)
• Urolologic Oncology (reviewer)
• Nature Urology (reviewer)
• SRN Urology (reviewer)

Surgical experience

More than 6000 surgical procedures (more than 4500 as first operator, including (open surgery, laparoscopy, robotic, endo-urology) in the field of the treatment of prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, BPH and renal stones.

More than 2000 robotic surgical procedures (robotic partial prostatectomy, partial nephrectomy, radical cystecomy, pieloplasty, sacropexy).

Publications (scopus data at april 2024)

375 publications on Pubmed

H-index: 50 (Scopus)