What is BASS?
The BASS is the Belgian Association for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine.
Our association regroups the Belgian physicians, psychologists and technologists who practice sleep medicine or sleep research.
Our aims
According to the bylaws, the objectives of the Belgian Association for the Study of Sleep are essentially educational, scientific, professional and social, and particularly pertain to:
- promoting the quality of the medical activity in the domain of sleep and related specialties
- promoting and facilitating the dissemination of knowledge in the domain of sleep and related specialties
- improving the contacts and the cooperation between centres for the study of sleep, as well as with other scientific societies
- promoting the prevention of sleep disorders and the well-being of patients suffering from sleep disorders.
History
The Belgian Association for the Study of Sleep was founded in Brussels in 1982 by the Professors G. Franck, R. Matthys, J. Mendlewicz and J. Wilmotte.
The aims of the Association were:
- to promote research and teaching in the field of sleep and related topics
- to promote and facilitate the diffusion of knowledge related to sleep
- to facilitate the contact and the collaboration between the centers interested in the study of sleep and also with other scientific societies.
Since its foundation the Association organized national and international scientific meetings on a two times/year basis. Some of these meetings were jointly organised with other Belgian scientific societies like the Belgian College of Neuro Psycho Pharmacology, the Belgian Pneumology Society, the Belgian Society for Clinical Neurophysiology. Joined meetings were also organized with the Dutch Society for Sleep-Wake Research and sleep researchers from the Luxembourg in Kempenhaeghe, (1998), in Esch-sur-Alzette (2000) and in Corsendonk (2002).
One major event in the history of the Association was the organization in Brussels in 1996 of the 13th congress of the European Sleep Research Society: 823 non-sleepy sleep researchers attended the congress held in the Brussels Congress Center from June 16 to June 21. The scientific programme involved 3 plenary lectures, 10 symposia plus the Young Scientist symposium, 18 oral sessions, 366 posters. The social programme allowed our guests to discover: the Comic Strips Museum during the welcome reception, the Sablon Church for the concert with the beautiful voices of the second and fourth Laureates of the 1996 International Queen Elisabeth Competition (Ana Camelia Stefanescu and Mariana Zvetkova), the Chateau de La Hulpe for the gala diner.
In 2008, the silver jubilee was celebrated with a two-day symposium in Antwerp and a Jubilee book. It contains a splendid readable overview of the BASS history.
New board 2020
President: Dries Testelmans
Vice-president: Marie Bruyneel
Secretary: Sonia Scaillet
Treasurer: Maarten Van Den Bossche
Educational committee: An Mariman and Johan Verbraecken
European affairs and accreditation: Bertien Buyse and Dries Testelmans
Communication and press: Johan Verbraecken
Research network: Dries Testelmans and Bertien Buyse
Webmaster & National Delegate Early Career Network ESRS: Mélanie Strauss
Boards of Officers
2016-2020: President: Johan Verbraecken; Vice-president: Bertien Buyse, Sonia Scaillet; Secretary: Ilse De Volder; Treasurer: Alain Volckaert; Educational committee: An Mariman, Marie Bruyneel, Sonia Scaillet, Ilse De Volder(, Elke De Valck); European affairs and accreditation: Marie Bruyneel, Dries Testelmans, Bertien Buyse; Communication and press: Julien Fanielle; Research network: Dries Testelmans, Bertien Buyse; National Delegate Early Career Network ESRS: Julien Fanielle
2012-2016: President: Prof. J. Verbraecken; Vice Presidents: Prof. R. Poirrier, Prof. B. Buyse; Secretary: Dr. I. De Volder; Treasurer: Dr. A. Volckaert; Members: Prof. D. Pevernagie; Prof. E. De Valck; Dr. Sonia Scaillet, Dr. Daniel Neu.
2008-2012: President: Prof. R. Poirrier; Vice President: Prof. B. Buyse, Prof. J. Verbraecken; Secretary: Dr. I. De Volder; Treasurer: Dr. A. Volckaert; Members: Prof. D. Pevernagie; Prof. G. Aubert; Prof. E. De Valck; Dr. K. Hertegonne
2004-2008: President: Prof. D. Pevernagie; Vice President: Prof. J. Groswasser; Secretary: Dr. I. De Volder; Treasurer: Dr. A. Volckaert; Members: Prof. B. Buyse; Prof. R. Poirrier; Prof. J. Verbraecken; Dr. C. Doyen; Prof. E. De Valck
2000-2004: President: Prof D. Pevernagie; Vice President: Prof. J. Groswasser; Secretary: Dr. K. Heyde; Treasurer: Dr. A. Volckaert; Members: Prof. P. Theys; Dr. A. Lacroix; Prof. O. Van Reeth; Dr. C. Doyen
1996-2000: President: Dr M. Kerkhofs; Vice President: Prof R. Cluydts; Secretary: Dr R. Poirrier;Treasurer: Dr D. Pevernagie; Members: Dr O. Van Reeth; Dr G. Hoffmann; Dr B. Van Sweden; Dr P. Theys
1992-1996: President: Dr J. De Roeck; Vice President: Dr M. Kerkhofs; Secretary: Dr R. Poirrier;Treasurer: Dr M. Schittecatte; Members: Prof R. Cluydts; Dr J. Groswasser; Dr G. Hoffmann; Dr B Van Sweden
1988-1992: President: Prof A. Kahn; Vice President: Dr J. De Roeck; Secretary: Prof R. Cluydts;Treasurer: Prof J. Wilmotte; Members: Prof R. De Buck; Dr R. Poirrier; Dr M. Kerkhofs; Dr G. Aubert-Tulkens
1986-1988: President: Prof A. Kahn; Vice-President: Dr J. De Roeck; Secretary: Prof R. Cluydts;Treasurer: Prof J. Wilmotte; Members: Prof R. De Buck; Dr R. Poirrier
1984-1986: President: Prof. J. Mendlewicz; Vice-President: Prof A. Kahn; Secretary: Prof G. Franck;Treasurer: Prof J. Wilmotte; Member: Dr J. De Roeck
1982-1984: President: Prof. G. Franck; Vice-President: Prof R. Matthys; Secretary: Prof J. Mendlewicz;Treasurer: Prof J. Wilmotte
Get in touch
Avenue Winston Churchill laan 11 b30
B-1180 Uccle/Ukkel Belgium
+32 (0)2 374 51 58
info@belsleep.org
Contact us