Staff profile

I completed my PhD in 2013 at University of Leuven (Belgium) where I studied perceptual organisation with psychophysical and neuropsychological methods. I then moved to Newcastle University (UK). Under the lead of Prof Jenny Read, I developed and validated ASTEROID, a 3D vision test for children with lazy eye that works on a tablet. In 2018, I started my independent Stroke Association Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Oxford (UK). Since October 2021, I am an Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience at Durham University supported by an NIHR Advanced Fellowship.

Patient and public involvement

Stroke survivors, children with visual perception difficulties and volunteers without any brain injury all take part in our research. Some take part as research participants and solve mental puzzles on paper or online, or complete a survey. Others get involved as advisors to the research team on matters like how to improve the experience for research participants, what to prioritise in research and how to communicate research findings with the general public. Our team also gets out to share our knowledge about the brain with the public. We give lectures and workshops for children and adults. To learn more and get involved, check out: https://kathleenvancleef.org/public-engagement-and-involvement/

Research

We research difficulties with visual perception after a brain injury. Visual perception refers to how the brain processes information coming from the eyes. Most of our research is with stroke survivors and children with Cerebral Visual Impairment. My research aims to better understand visual perception difficulties that people can experience after brain injury. I work closely with patients and clinicians to learn about their experiences and needs. With that knowledge I develop assessments and interventions to improve patients’ lives.

Teaching

I love teaching all things vision and brain to students and professionals, whether that is a large group of undergraduate students or a workshop for 15-30 professionals. I have been the day-to-day supervisor of over 30 undergraduate and postgraduate project students, interns and research assistants. I very much enjoy seeing them grow and discover their own research interest and passion. Every student has different career aspirations. I aim to create development opportunities and learning experiences that match those personal goals. Get in touch if you are interested in joining the team.

• Assessment and rehabilitation of visual perception difficulties after a stroke
• Understanding visual perception difficulties in children with Cerebral Visual Impairment, how we can improve diagnosis, and how to support childrens' development and learning
• Mid-level visual perception or perceptual organisation
• Automated assessments and game-based therapy for vision problems

• 2019: Postdoctoral Fellowship at Christ Church:
• 2017: Best Abstract Award at British Isles Paediatric, Ophthalmology & Strabismus Association (BIPOSA):
• 2017: Best Oral Presentation at Child Vision Research Society:
• 2016: Best Abstract Award for involving children in research by Young People’s Advisory Group North England:
• 2016: Finalist at North of England Ophthalmological Society video competition:
• 2016: First prize at NHS Hack Day for innovative digital health application:
• 2015: Runner-up Bright Ideas in Health Awards for Patient and Public Involvement:

Available for media contact about:

• Disability issues: How vision problems can affect day to day life, such as difficulties recognising people, reading, navigating, using technology, getting around, busy and crowded places, etc.
• Medical and health research topics: Virion problems after a brain injury such as difficulties with reading, recognising objects or faces, attention, and with getting around. What are the best way to assess and diagnose these problems and what can be done to help people with such issues.
• Memory and brain function: How the brain interprets information that comes from the eyes and what can go wrong.
• Perception / attractiveness: How the brain interprets information that comes from the eyes and what can go wrong.
• Vision / eye movement: How the brain interprets information that comes from the eyes and what can go wrong.
• Neuroscience: How our brain processes information coming from the eyes, neuropsychology

Conference Paper

• Ushaw, Gary, Sharp, Craig, Hugill, Jessica, Rafiq, Sheima, Black, Carla, Casanova, Therese, Vancleef, Kathleen, Read, Jenny & Morgan, Graham (2017), Analysis of Soft Data for Mass Provision of Stereoacuity Testing Through a Serious Game for Health, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2017 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DIGITAL HEALTH (DH'17) Assoc Comp Machinery; UCL, Inst Risk \& Disaster Reduct; Assoc Comp Machinery, Special Interest Grp Knowledge Discovery \& Data Min; ACM Int Conf Proceeding Series; Frontiers Publ. 1601 Broadway, 10th Floor, NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY, 216-220.

Journal Article

• Colwell, Michael J., Demeyere, Nele & Vancleef, Kathleen (Published). Visual perceptual deficit screening in stroke survivors: evaluation of current practice in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
• Ding, Xiaotong & Vancleef, Kathleen (2022). Test-retest reliability and Practice Effect of the Leuven Perceptual Organisation Screening Test. Behavior Research Methods 54(5): 2457–2462.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Colwell, Michael J., Hewitt, Olivia & Demeyere, Nele (2022). Current practice and challenges in screening for visual perception deficits after stroke: a qualitative study. DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION 44(10): 2063-2072.
• Moore, Margaret J., Vancleef, Kathleen, Riddoch, M. Jane, Gillebert, Celine R. & Demeyere, Nele (2021). Recovery of Visuospatial Neglect Subtypes and Relationship to Functional Outcome Six Months After Stroke. NEUROREHABILITATION AND NEURAL REPAIR 35(9): 15459683211032977, 823-835.
• Ben Itzhak, Nofar, Vancleef, Kathleen, Franki, Inge, Laenen, Annouschka, Wagemans, Johan & Ortibus, Els (2021). Quantifying visuoperceptual profiles of children with cerebral visual impairment. CHILD NEUROPSYCHOLOGY 27(8): 995-1023.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Demeyere, Nele & Sun, Luning (2021). Shortening the Leuven Perceptual Organization Screening Test With Item Response Theory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 33(12): 1253-1260.
• McCaslin, Alice Grasso, Vancleef, Kathleen, Hubert, Luke, Read, Jenny C. A. & Port, Nicholas (2020). Stereotest Comparison: Efficacy, Reliability, and Variability of a New Glasses-Free Stereotest. TRANSLATIONAL VISION SCIENCE \& TECHNOLOGY 9(9): 29.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Janssens, Eva, Petre, Yasmine, Wagemans, Johan & Ortibus, Els (2020). Assessment tool for visual perception deficits in cerebral visual impairment: development and normative data of typically developing children. DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY 62(1): 111-117.
• Vancleef, K., Acke, E., Torfs, K., Demeyere, N., Lafosse, C. & Humphreys, G. (2020). Reliability and validity of the Leuven Perceptual Organization Screening Test (L-POST) (vol 9, pg 271, 2015). JOURNAL OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGY 14(1): 193-194.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Janssens, Eva, Petre, Yasmine, Wagemans, Johan & Ortibus, Els (2020). Assessment tool for visual perception deficits in cerebral visual impairment: reliability and validity. DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY 62(1): 118-124.
• Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio, Vancleef, Kathleen, Herbert, William, Goodship, Nicola, Woodhouse, Maeve & Read, Jenny C. A. (2020). Efficient estimation of stereo thresholds: What slope should be assumed for the psychometric function? PLOS ONE 15(1): e0226822.
• Ben Itzhak, Nofar, Vancleef, Kathleen, Franki, Inge, Laenen, Annouschka, Wagemans, Johan & Ortibus, Els (2020). Visuoperceptual profiles of children using the Flemish cerebral visual impairment questionnaire. DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY 62(8): 969+.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio, Sharp, Craig, Slack, Gareth, Black, Carla, Casanova, Therese, Hugill, Jess, Rafiq, Sheima, Burridge, James, Puyat, Vito, Enongue, Josee Ewane, Gale, Henry, Akotei, Hannah, Collier, Zoe, Haggerty, Helen, Smart, Kathryn, Powell, Christine, Taylor, Kate, Clarke, Michael P., Morgan, Graham & Read, Jenny C. A. (2019). ASTEROID: A New Clinical Stereotest on an Autostereo 3D Tablet. TRANSLATIONAL VISION SCIENCE \& TECHNOLOGY 8(1): 25.
• Moore, Margaret Jane, Vancleef, Kathleen, Shalev, Nir, Husain, Masud & Demeyere, Nele (2019). When neglect is neglected: NIHSS observational measure lacks sensitivity in identifying post-stroke unilateral neglect. JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY 90(9): 1070+.
• Read, Jenny C. A., Rafiq, Sheima, Hugill, Jess, Casanova, Therese, Black, Carla, O'Neill, Adam, Puyat, Vicente, Haggerty, Helen, Smart, Kathryn, Powell, Christine, Taylor, Kate, Clarke, Michael P. & Vancleef, Kathleen (2019). Characterizing the Randot Preschool stereotest: Testability, norms, reliability, specificity and sensitivity in children aged 2-11 years. PLOS ONE 14(11): e0224402.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Read, Jenny C. A., Herbert, William, Goodship, Nicola, Woodhouse, Maeve & Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio (2018). Two choices good, four choices better: For measuring stereoacuity in children, a four-alternative forced-choice paradigm is more efficient than two. PLOS ONE 13(7): e0201366.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Read, Jenny C. A., Herbert, William, Goodship, Nicola, Woodhouse, Maeve & Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio (2017). Overestimation of stereo thresholds by the TNO stereotest is not due to global stereopsis. OPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS 37(4): 507-520.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Meesen, Raf, Swinnen, Stephan P. & Fujiyama, Hakuei (2016). tDCS over left M1 or DLPFC does not improve learning of a bimanual coordination task. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 6: 35739.
• Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio, Herbert, William, Villa-Laso, Laura, Widdall, Michael, Vancleef, Kathleen & Read, Jenny C. A. (2016). The Stereoscopic Anisotropy Develops During Childhood. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY \& VISUAL SCIENCE 57(3): 960-970.
• Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio, Vancleef, Kathleen & Read, Jenny C. A. (2016). Avoiding monocular artifacts in clinical stereotests presented on column-interleaved digital stereoscopic displays. JOURNAL OF VISION 16(14): 13.
• Schmidt, Filipp & Vancleef, Kathleen (2016). Response priming evidence for feedforward processing of snake contours but not of ladder contours and textures. VISION RESEARCH 126(SI): 174-182.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Acke, Elia, Torfs, Katrien, Demeyere, Nele, Lafosse, Christophe, Humphreys, Glyn, Wagemans, Johan & de-Wit, Lee (2015). Reliability and validity of the Leuven Perceptual Organization Screening Test (L-POST). JOURNAL OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGY 9(2): 271-298.
• Pauwels, Lisa, Vancleef, Kathleen, Swinnen, Stephan P. & Beets, Iseult A. M. (2015). Challenge to promote change: both young and older adults benefit from contextual interference. FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE 7: 157.
• Torfs, Katrien, Vancleef, Kathleen, Lafosse, Christophe, Wagemans, Johan & de-Wit, Lee (2014). The Leuven Perceptual Organization Screening Test (L-POST), an online test to assess mid-level visual perception. BEHAVIOR RESEARCH METHODS 46(2): 472-487.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Putzeys, Tom, Gheorghiu, Elena, Sassi, Michael, Machilsen, Bart & Wagemans, Johan (2013). Spatial arrangement in texture discrimination and texture segregation. I-PERCEPTION 4(1): 36-52.
• Vancleef, Kathleen & Wagemans, Johan (2013). Component processes in contour integration: A direct comparison between snakes and ladders in a detection and a shape discrimination task. VISION RESEARCH 92: 39-46.
• Vancleef, Kathleen, Wagemans, Johan & Humphreys, Glyn W. (2013). Impaired texture segregation but spared contour integration following damage to right posterior parietal cortex. EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 230(1): 41-57.
• Machilsen, Bart, Novitskiy, Nikolay, Vancleef, Kathleen & Wagemans, Johan (2011). Context Modulates the ERP Signature of Contour Integration. PLOS ONE 6(9): e25151.
• Vangeneugden, Joris, Vancleef, Kathleen, Jaeggli, Tobias, VanGool, Luc & Vogels, Rufin (2010). Discrimination of locomotion direction in impoverished displays of walkers by macaque monkeys. JOURNAL OF VISION 10(4): 22.
• Sassi, Michael, Vancleef, Kathleen, Machilsen, Bart, Panis, Sven & Wagemans, Johan (2010). Identification of everyday objects on the basis of Gaborized outline versions. I-PERCEPTION 1(3): 121-142.