Investigator

Richard Keijzer

MD, MSc, PhD, FACS

  • Accepting Students: Yes
  • Research Category: Biomedical

Contact

Current Positions

Thorlakson Chair in Surgical Research
Pediatric Surgeon-Scientist
Research Director for the Department of Surgery
Section Head Pediatric Surgery
Surgeon-in-Chief, Health Sciences Centre - Children’s Hospital Manitoba
Investigator, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Associate Lead, Biology of Breathing Theme
Professor Departments of Surgery, Child Health & Pediatrics, Physiology & Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba

Education

1990-1997: Medicine, Erasmus University Rotterdam
1997: Medical Doctor Degree, Cum Laude, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam
2001: PhD-thesis, titled: “Normal and Abnormal Mechanisms of Pulmonary Development.” Promotores Prof. Dr D. Tibboel en Prof. Dr F. Grosveld, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam
2004: Master of Science in Molecular Medicine, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam
1/2001-12/2004: Resident in General Surgery Reinier de Graaf Groep, Delft
1/2005-8/2006: Resident in General Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam
1/2006-8/2006: Differentiation Endocrine and Pancreas Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam
9/2006-12/2006: Differentiation Pediatric Surgery, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam
1/2008-6/2009: Fellowship Pediatric Surgery, ErasmusMC-Sophia, Rotterdam
7/2009-6/2010: Fellowship Pediatric Endoscopic Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama

Research Focus

To improve the outcomes of pediatric surgical patients by engaging in leadership and research from the bedside to the bench and back;
To continue translational basic science research on the role of microRNAs and circular RNAs in normal and abnormal lung development associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia;
To maintain a clinical practice of pediatric surgery;
To teach the next generation of scientists and pediatric surgeons.

Research Interests

His clinical interest concentrates on minimal invasive Pediatric General Surgery and his research focuses on congenital anomalies in general and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and abnormal lung development. He has expertise in the mechanisms of normal and abnormal lung development due to congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Currently, his research focuses on delineating the role of microRNAs and circular RNAs during normal and abnormal lung development due to CDH. By improving the understanding of the pathogenesis of CDH and its abnormal lung development he aims to develop a prenatal therapeutic intervention to modulate the natural course of the abnormal lung development in these babies before they are born