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

• 2023: Invited speaker at British and Irish Orthoptic Society, Stroke and Neuro rehab study day:
• 2023: Rising Star Award 2023 : Organisation for Psychological Research in Stroke
• 2022: Annual meeting of Organisation of Psychological Research into Stroke:
• 2022: Keynote speaker at Organisation for Psychological Research in Stroke Lowlands:
• 2022: Invited speaker at Welsh Stroke Conference: Invited speaker on screening for visual perception deficits after stroke, Welsh Stroke Conference, United Kingdom (online conference)
• 2021: NIHR Advanced Fellowship: Advanced Fellowship for improving the life of stroke survivors with visual perception problems, funded by National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (£754,329), PI
• 2021: Invited speaker at UK Stroke Forum: Invited speaker on screening for visual perception deficits after stroke, UK Stroke Forum
• 2020: Invited speaker for Neurointeressegroep:
• 2020: Invited speaker at Workshop Mary Kitzinger Trust: Invited speaker on Assessment of Cerebral Visual Impairment, Workshop Mary Kitzinger Trust
• 2020: Invited speaker at British and Irish Orthoptic Society, Stroke and Neuro rehab study day: Invited speaker on screening for visual perception deficits after stroke, British and Irish Orthoptic Society, Stroke and Neuro rehab study day, Oxford, United Kingdom, cancelled due to Covid-19
• 2019: Postdoctoral Fellowship at Christ Church:
• 2018: Invited speaker at CVI Symposium, Bartiméus: Invited speaker on Assessment of Cerebral Visual Impairment CVI Symposium, Bartiméus, Zeist, The Netherlands
• 2018: Stroke Association Postdoctoral Fellowship: Postdoctoral Fellowship for investigating visual perception problems in stroke patients at University of Oxford, funded by Stroke Association (£ 175,000), PI
• 2017: Best Oral Presentation at Child Vision Research Society:
• 2017: Best Abstract Award at British Isles Paediatric, Ophthalmology & Strabismus Association (BIPOSA):
• 2016: First prize at NHS Hack Day for innovative digital health application:
• 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:
• 2015: Runner-up Bright Ideas in Health Awards for Patient and Public Involvement:

Conference Paper

• Ushaw, G., Sharp, C., Hugill, J., Rafiq, S., Black, C., Casanova, T., …Morgan, G. (2017). Analysis of Soft Data for Mass Provision of Stereoacuity Testing Through a Serious Game for Health. . https://doi.org/10.1145/3079452.3079496

Journal Article

• Ding, X., & Vancleef, K. (2022). Test-retest reliability and Practice Effect of the Leuven Perceptual Organisation Screening Test. Behavior Research Methods, 54(5), 2457-2462. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01741-z
• Vancleef, K., Colwell, M. J., Hewitt, O., & Demeyere, N. (2022). Current practice and challenges in screening for visual perception deficits after stroke: a qualitative study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(10), 2063-2072. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2020.1824245
• Colwell, M. J., Demeyere, N., & Vancleef, K. (2022). Visual perceptual deficit screening in stroke survivors: evaluation of current practice in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(22), 6620-6632. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2021.1970246
• Vancleef, K., Demeyere, N., & Sun, L. (2021). Shortening the Leuven Perceptual Organization Screening Test With Item Response Theory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Psychological Assessment, 33(12), 1253-1260. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001045
• Moore, M. J., Vancleef, K., Riddoch, M. J., Gillebert, C. R., & Demeyere, N. (2021). Recovery of Visuospatial Neglect Subtypes and Relationship to Functional Outcome Six Months After Stroke. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 35(9), 823-835. https://doi.org/10.1177/15459683211032977
• Ben Itzhak, N., Vancleef, K., Franki, I., Laenen, A., Wagemans, J., & Ortibus, E. (2021). Quantifying visuoperceptual profiles of children with cerebral visual impairment. Child Neuropsychology, 27(8), 995-1023. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2021.1915265
• Ben Itzhak, N., Vancleef, K., Franki, I., Laenen, A., Wagemans, J., & Ortibus, E. (2020). Visuoperceptual profiles of children using the Flemish cerebral visual impairment questionnaire. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14448
• McCaslin, A. G., Vancleef, K., Hubert, L., Read, J. C., & Port, N. (2020). Stereotest Comparison: Efficacy, Reliability, and Variability of a New Glasses-Free Stereotest. Translational Vision Science & Technology, 9(9), Article 29. https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.9.9.29
• 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. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnp.12205
• Vancleef, K., Janssens, E., Petre, Y., Wagemans, J., & Ortibus, E. (2020). Assessment tool for visual perception deficits in cerebral visual impairment: reliability and validity. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14304
• Vancleef, K., Janssens, E., Petre, Y., Wagemans, J., & Ortibus, E. (2020). Assessment tool for visual perception deficits in cerebral visual impairment: development and normative data of typically developing children. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14303
• Serrano-Pedraza, I., Vancleef, K., Herbert, W., Goodship, N., Woodhouse, M., & Read, J. C. (2020). Efficient estimation of stereo thresholds: What slope should be assumed for the psychometric function?. PLoS ONE, 15(1), Article e0226822. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226822
• Moore, M. J., Vancleef, K., Shalev, N., Husain, M., & Demeyere, N. (2019). When neglect is neglected: NIHSS observational measure lacks sensitivity in identifying post-stroke unilateral neglect. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 90(9), https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-319668
• Vancleef, K., Serrano-Pedraza, I., Sharp, C., Slack, G., Black, C., Casanova, T., …Read, J. C. (2019). ASTEROID: A New Clinical Stereotest on an Autostereo 3D Tablet. Translational Vision Science & Technology, 8(1), Article 25. https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.8.1.25
• Read, J. C., Rafiq, S., Hugill, J., Casanova, T., Black, C., O'Neill, A., …Vancleef, K. (2019). Characterizing the Randot Preschool stereotest: Testability, norms, reliability, specificity and sensitivity in children aged 2-11 years. PLoS ONE, 14(11), Article e0224402. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224402
• Vancleef, K., Read, J. C., Herbert, W., Goodship, N., Woodhouse, M., & Serrano-Pedraza, I. (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), Article e0201366. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201366
• Vancleef, K., Read, J. C., Herbert, W., Goodship, N., Woodhouse, M., & Serrano-Pedraza, I. (2017). Overestimation of stereo thresholds by the TNO stereotest is not due to global stereopsis. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 37(4), 507-520. https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12371
• Serrano-Pedraza, I., Vancleef, K., & Read, J. C. (2016). Avoiding monocular artifacts in clinical stereotests presented on column-interleaved digital stereoscopic displays. Journal of Vision, 16(14), Article 13. https://doi.org/10.1167/16.14.13
• Schmidt, F., & Vancleef, K. (2016). Response priming evidence for feedforward processing of snake contours but not of ladder contours and textures. Vision Research, 126(SI), 174-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2015.03.002
• Serrano-Pedraza, I., Herbert, W., Villa-Laso, L., Widdall, M., Vancleef, K., & Read, J. C. (2016). The Stereoscopic Anisotropy Develops During Childhood. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 57(3), 960-970. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.15-17766
• Vancleef, K., Meesen, R., Swinnen, S. P., & Fujiyama, H. (2016). tDCS over left M1 or DLPFC does not improve learning of a bimanual coordination task. Scientific Reports, 6, Article 35739. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35739
• Vancleef, K., Acke, E., Torfs, K., Demeyere, N., Lafosse, C., Humphreys, G., …de-Wit, L. (2015). Reliability and validity of the Leuven Perceptual Organization Screening Test (L-POST). Journal of Neuropsychology, 9(2), 271-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnp.12050
• Pauwels, L., Vancleef, K., Swinnen, S. P., & Beets, I. A. (2015). Challenge to promote change: both young and older adults benefit from contextual interference. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 7, Article 157. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2015.00157
• Torfs, K., Vancleef, K., Lafosse, C., Wagemans, J., & de-Wit, L. (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. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-013-0382-6
• Vancleef, K., & Wagemans, J. (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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2013.09.003
• Vancleef, K., Wagemans, J., & Humphreys, G. W. (2013). Impaired texture segregation but spared contour integration following damage to right posterior parietal cortex. Experimental Brain Research, 230(1), 41-57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-013-3629-7
• Vancleef, K., Putzeys, T., Gheorghiu, E., Sassi, M., Machilsen, B., & Wagemans, J. (2013). Spatial arrangement in texture discrimination and texture segregation. i-Perception, 4(1), 36-52. https://doi.org/10.1068/i0515
• Machilsen, B., Novitskiy, N., Vancleef, K., & Wagemans, J. (2011). Context Modulates the ERP Signature of Contour Integration. PLoS ONE, 6(9), Article e25151. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025151
• Sassi, M., Vancleef, K., Machilsen, B., Panis, S., & Wagemans, J. (2010). Identification of everyday objects on the basis of Gaborized outline versions. i-Perception, 1(3), 121-142. https://doi.org/10.1068/i0384
• Vangeneugden, J., Vancleef, K., Jaeggli, T., VanGool, L., & Vogels, R. (2010). Discrimination of locomotion direction in impoverished displays of walkers by macaque monkeys. Journal of Vision, 10(4), Article 22. https://doi.org/10.1167/10.4.22