Paulien Moyaert Reaches Vlaamse PhD Cup Final for Alzheimer Research

Trainee physician Paulien Moyaert advanced to the final of the Vlaamse PhD Cup with a doctoral research project aimed at detecting Alzheimer’s disease up to a decade before the appearance of initial symptoms, Nieuwsblad reported. Moyaert, who was born in 1997 and specializes in nuclear medicine, developed a pitch titled Een rookmelder voor alzheimer, or An Alzheimer’s Smoke Detector. Her research centers on identifying early micro-leaks in the blood-brain barrier using advanced brain scans.

The project builds on experimental testing conducted in Canada, where Moyaert evaluated a scanning technique on pigs to visualize tiny breaches in the protective layer shielding the brain. According to profile details published by the Vlaamse PhD Cup, the researcher aims to catch degenerative brain changes before irreversible damage occurs, enabling timely intervention when therapies can achieve maximum impact. The European Union approved Leqembi in 2025 as the first pharmaceutical treatment capable of slowing cognitive decline in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s, making early detection a critical clinical priority.

The Final at the Ghent Handelsbeurs

On October 21, 2026, Moyaert will present her pitch live on stage at the Handelsbeurs in Ghent during the final round of the competition. A professional jury will evaluate the finalists and select the top three candidates. The overall winner will receive a 5,000-euro training voucher for the Vlerick Business School alongside an opportunity to publish a book based on their research.

Public participation runs parallel to the jury evaluation. Public voting remains open until October 21, 2026, via the official PhD Cup platform at phdcup.be. Moyaert noted in her participant biography that she seeks to communicate complex scientific developments clearly to affected families, emphasizing that dementia touches many lives and that ongoing medical research continues to generate important breakthroughs.