prof. dr. R.L.A.W. (Ronald L.A.W.) Bleys
Full Professor
- Department of Anatomy

Contact
Biography
Ronald L.A.W. Bleys (1959) graduated as MD in 1986 at Utrecht University. He has been working as an anatomist at the medical faculty of Utrecht University (now: University Medical Center Utrecht) since 1987. In 1995 he received his PhD degree on the thesis “Innervation of the basal cerebral arteries: pathways and densities”. Part of this research had been performed at the department of anatomy of the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in London, UK. In 1999 he became registered as medical morphological investigator by the Foundation for Biomedical Scientific Research Training (SMBWO). He became head of department of Anatomy in 2000 and full professor of Clinical Anatomy in 2012.
His recent research work has focused on the interactions between the vascular system and the autonomic nervous system. More specifically, he is investigating the role of the autonomic nervous system in the regulation of inflammatory responses. Furthermore in collaboration with clinicians of especially surgical disciplines he has been participating in clinical anatomical research projects, with special focus on esophageal cancer surgery.
He is an allround anatomist with an enormous teaching experience, including training of medical residents and specialists. His department has become a centre of excellence for postgraduate anatomical training in the Netherlands and hosts well known international courses. His own specialty is the head and neck region. He is also involved in teaching innovations, one of them being the development and implementation of virtual 3D anatomical models.
Side Activities
Nederlandse Anatomen Vereniging, board member
Medische Arthroscopie en Endoscopie Stichting, president
Member of editorial board of Clinical Anatomy
Stichting Medisch Faculteitsfonds Talma-Eykman, treasurer and secretary
Faculty Club Utrecht University, president
Medische Studenten Faculteitsvereniging Utrecht "Sams", member of supervisory and advisory board
Vereniging Chirurgie voor Medisch Studenten, member of board of recommendation
Fellowship and Awards
Honorary doctorate, Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia, 2015
Outstanding Teacher Award, Utrecht University, 2013
Medal of honor, Medical University Varna, Bulgaria, 1997
Talma Eykman award for Teacher of the year, Faculty of Medicine, Utrecht University, 1990
Research Output (123)
Bovendeert Jeske F.M., Nievelstein Rutger A.J., Bleys Ronald L.A.W., Cleypool Cindy G.J. 3 okt 2020, In: Journal of Medical Case Reports. 14 , p. 176
Schurink B., Mazza E., Ruurda J. P., Roeling T. A.P., Bleys R. L.A.W., van Hillegersberg R. 1 jun 2020, In: Surgical Oncology. 33 , p. 170-176 7 p.
Nederhoff M. G.J., Fransen D. E., Verlinde S. A.M.W., Brans M. A.D., Pasterkamp G., Bleys R. L.A.W. 1 nov 2019, In: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical. 221
Rots M. L., de Borst G. J., van der Toorn A., Moll F. L., Pennekamp C. W.A., Dijkhuizen R. M., Bleys R. L.A.W. 1 okt 2019, In: Journal of Comparative Neurology. 527 , p. 2263-2272 10 p.
Chang Chan Ana Yoe Cheng, Custers Eugene J.F.M., van Leeuwen Maarten Simon, Bleys Ronald L.A.W., ten Cate Olle 15 sep 2019, In: Medical Science Educator. 29 , p. 697-707 11 p.
Abrahams Alferso C, Dendooven Amélie, van der Veer Jan Willem, Wientjes Rens, Toorop Raechel J, Bleys Ronald L, Hendrickx Antoni P, van Leeuwen Maarten S, de Lussanet Quido G, Verhaar Marianne C, Stapper Gerard, Nguyen Tri Q 23 jul 2019, In: Peritoneal Dialysis International. 39 , p. 455-464 10 p.
Chang Chan Ana Yoe Cheng, Custer Eugene J.F.M., van Leeuwen Maarten Simon, Bleys Ronald L.A.W., ten Cate Olle jun 2019, In: Medical Science Educator. 29 , p. 891 1 p.
Ferrer Cyril J, Bos Clemens, Yoneyama Masami, Obara Makoto, Kok Lisanne, van Leeuwen Maarten S, Bleys Ronald L A W, Moonen Chrit T W, Bartels Lambertus W 29 mrt 2019, In: European radiology experimental. 3
Schurink Bernadette, Mazza Elena, Ruurda Jelle P, Roeling Tom A P, Steenhagen Elles, Bleys Ronald L A W, van Hillegersberg Richard 27 mrt 2019, In: Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 108 , p. 184-189 6 p.
Chang Chan Ana Yoe-Cheng, Cate Olle Ten, Custers Eugène J F M, Leeuwen Maarten S van, Bleys Ronald L A W 1 jan 2019, In: Education for health (Abingdon, England). 32 , p. 62-74 13 p.