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INTERVIEW: Kathleen Van Vlierberghe, Boston Scientific — how we’re pushing for equity in healthcare

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Kathleen Van Vlierberghe recently took on the role as vice president of Peripheral Interventions for EMEA at Boston Scientific. Photo courtesy of Boston Scientific

VP of Peripheral Interventions for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Boston Scientific, Kathleen Van Vlierberghe, talks to Femtech World about advancing minimally invasive treatments, empowering women in the workplace and championing gender equity in clinical research.

When Kathleen Van Vlierberghe joined Boston Scientific almost two decades ago, she was one of only a few women at the table. Now in her recently appointed role as vice president of Peripheral Interventions for EMEA, she is helping to address the gender inequities in healthcare, clinical research and the workplace.

The global medical technology company, Boston Scientific, has been transforming lives through innovative medical solutions designed to improve the health of patients around the world since 1979.

After 25 years in the medtech space— 19 of which have been with Boston Scientific— in her new role, Van Vlierberghe will focus on bringing minimally invasive solutions to patients and healthcare professionals in the fields of interventional oncology and vascular disease.

She spoke to Femtech World about innovative new solutions in the female cancer and women’s health space, as well as the company’s efforts to create more representative clinical trials and empower women in the workplace. 

Femtech World: Kathleen, thank you for taking the time to speak with Femtech World. Could you start by giving us an overview of your main focus at Boston Scientific?

Kathleen Van Vlierberghe: What positions us as a company in the field of peripheral interventions is our focus on minimally invasive technologies across different disease areas. By minimally invasive, we really mean shifting treatments that would typically require surgery to less invasive procedures. This allows us to be more patient-centric while also addressing hospital challenges, such as enabling same day cases or reducing the need for overnight hospital stays.

Our treatments primarily focus on peripheral artery disease and clot management addressing conditions both above and below the knee. We are also working in the oncology space, particularly interventional oncology, where we have a range of products.

FTW: You’re VP of Peripheral Interventions in EMEA, but you work closely with teams across other global markets too. Do you see similar trends and challenges when it comes to healthcare internationally, or are they quite specific to each region?

KV: A common challenge across most geographies is the lack of adoption of minimally invasive therapies—many patients still undergo surgery or are identified too late to receive alternative treatments. For example, in vascular care, we continue to see high amputation rates, particularly among diabetic patients. Through physician education programs, we can raise awareness about alternative therapies to prevent unnecessary amputations. Amputation is not only costly to healthcare systems but has a profound impact on a patient’s quality of life.

FTW: What technologies are you currently excited about in the women’s health and female cancer space?

KV: One of my first visits in this role was to Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, which specialises in breast cancer cryoablation. Cryoablation is a minimally invasive technology that works by freezing and destroying the tumours. It is most often performed percutaneously (through the skin and into the tumour) by a specialist such as an interventional radiologist. Compared to surgery, it is often less invasive, often requires less hospital time, and often enables preservation of the breast.

FTW: You mentioned that this technology was first introduced for treating kidney tumors. Is there potential to expand it to other conditions?

KV: As we broaden the clinical applications of cryoablation, we are listening to customer feedback and expanding clinical studies. While the technology has shown positive results in kidney tumours, we are now applying it to breast tumours and other conditions such as desmoid tumours. There are also opportunities beyond oncology. Cryoablation has been explored as a treatment for endometriosis, a condition that causes significant pain for many women. We recently heard an amazing story from a patient who underwent cryoablation in France. She had suffered from severe pain for years despite medication. The procedure only took around an hour, and she is now completely pain-free. It goes without saying that this is only an example and that there are risks associated with every medical procedure. Any patient should consult their doctor to learn more about the risks and benefits of all treatment options.

FTW: Women’s health has historically been under-researched. Are you seeing a shift toward more innovation in this field as awareness grows?

KV: As awareness of the gender health gap grows, we are realising just how much information is lacking about many women’s health conditions in general. Take cryoablation for breast tumours, for example. The initial focus was on kidney tumours, but as we explored its potential, we identified new opportunities to expand its use. In Europe and the Middle East, we proactively listen to customer needs and feed those back into the organisation to ensure we prioritise patient-centric-solutions.

FTW: What other ways are you addressing the gender health gap at Boston Scientific?

KV: We are tackling this issue not only through innovative technologies but also by helping to ensure inclusivity in clinical studies, to ensure that our trials are relevant to the patients we aim to serve and it’s critical we accurately understand the outcomes of our technologies for everyone. A great example is the ELEGANCE Global registry,  launched in France, Germany, Austria, and Poland, which aims to  increase representation in study enrolment.  This real-world study is collecting data on populations previously not well-represented in peripheral artery disease (PAD) trials. For example, the study has a bold goal of enrolling a minimum of 40 per cent women, and this this year, we are expanding it to Saudi Arabia, marking the first time patients from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will be included in a global peripheral intervention study.

FTW: Can you tell me a bit more about how you support women internally?

KV: We are committed to creating equitable career opportunities within the company and extending these initiatives to the broader community. For example, the WeLead programme has supported high-performing women who demonstrate outstanding competencies. We provide employees with the right tools, bespoke training activities and support to fully realise their potential. 

When it comes to supporting women externally, our EMERGE programme in EMEA is designed to support female physicians in the early stages of their interventional careers. This programme connects them with peers and senior mentors, providing a platform for knowledge-sharing, skill-building and confidence development in what is traditionally a male-dominated field.

FTW: As a female leader at Boston Scientific, how do you hope to empower and inspire other women in the company?

KV: In the past, being one of the only women at the table has come with its challenges. That’s why I am passionate about mentoring the next generation of female leaders. I encourage young women to speak up, raise their hands and to recognise when barriers are self-imposed.

By acting as a role model, I hope to show that leadership is possible for women in this industry. Work-life balance looks different for everyone—whether you are a mother, an athlete or have other passions—it’s about making time for what truly matters. My goal is to give back by helping the next generation navigate these challenges.

Mental health

Tech exec launches programme to address women’s leadership gap in technology sector

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A new 12-week executive programme aimed at tackling burnout and stalled career growth among senior women in technology will launch next month, amid ongoing concerns about gender representation in the industry.

Padmasini Dayananda, a tech executive with 24 years’ experience, created the initiative to support women leaders in reshaping their careers and raising their profiles in the sector.

The programme is based on what Dayananda describes as a “Triple-E Framework,” drawing on concepts from Stanford’s Career Design Lab and the Uncertainty Experts initiative.

“Women now have a seat at the table—but they want more,” says Dayananda. “They’re ready to explore untapped potential and redefine their path. What got them here won’t take them to the next level. This program is designed to create extraordinary breakthroughs by helping them drop old baggage, build strategic agility, and grow with purpose.

Opening for registration on 2 June 2025, the course is designed to help participants overcome self-limiting beliefs, plan their next career steps, and recover from professional burnout.

Figures from Women in Tech UK show that while women make up 42 per cent of the tech workforce, they hold just 31.7 per cent of leadership roles. Many exit senior positions due to limited advancement opportunities, lack of visibility, or chronic stress.

Called HER Circle of Influence, the programme combines executive mentoring and strategic coaching. Enrollment will be selective, with places offered through an application process.

Dayananda was ranked fourth in Information Age’s Top 10 Diverse Leaders in UK Tech and is an alumna of Windsor Leadership. See more on the programme here

 

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European healthcare professionals react to new ultrasound technology

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European ultrasound specialists have responded to the launch of an advanced ultrasound system by international health technology provider Mindray.

The Resona A20, unveiled in Naples late last year at the 35th congress of the European Federation of Ultrasound Societies in Medicine and Biology, was developed by Mindray to allow healthcare professionals to have a “deeper comprehension of the human body”, and to enable early detection of illness with new levels of confidence.

It is the first premium ultrasound system to be developed by the company.

‘The highest level of confidence for complex cases’

Professor Vito Cantisani, president of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, remarked he was “positively impressed” with the new technology as one of the world’s first users. “I found this new equipment very useful to evaluate deeply complicated cases,” he said. “The Resona A20 brings the best image quality for the highest level of confidence.”

Professor Cantisani, who is also chairman of integrated advanced imaging at University Sapienza, Rome, remarked how software in the Resona A20 supported multi-parametric evaluation, helping to deliver “a comprehensive evaluation of my patients”. “We are entering a new era,” he said.

He pointed out that one significant improvement is the multi-parametric liver study, helping to comprehensively study any pathology. He added that the technology enables all requested information to be displayed in real-time in one shot.

“The A20 smart thyroid tool gives automatic real-time lesion detection, which helps to be fast and precise,” Professor Cantisani added.

“HD Scope+is very useful because it increases the level of confidence, enhancing the border delineation, the eco-structures, the presence of calcification of the lesion that I study, such as breast and thyroid lesions, where it is really important to depict clearly and properly any of those features.”

Microvasculature study functionality was also described as important

A ‘slow flow’ often suggests that there might be a problem with the small blood vessels. Professor Cantisani said: “The ultra micro angiography provides a very high sensitive depiction of the slow flow.”

The new technology is expected to support daily clinical activity, research, and education, with the potential to enhance the role of ultrasound in the diagnostic imaging landscape.

Dynamic tumour information, and new pathways

The new high frame rate of the Resona A20 could make a “major difference” for healthcare professionals in delivering a correct diagnosis quickly for kidney, liver and oncology patients, and could help to transform clinical pathways, according to Prof Dirk-Andre Clevert, head of the Interdisciplinary Ultrasound Centre, Department of Radiology, University of Munich-Grosshadern Campus.

“The A20 gives us the opportunity for super resolution,” he said. “Five hundred frames a second means a very, very high resolution, and a lot of dynamic information, additional information for the tumour which doesn’t exist or can be missed in conventional contrast examination.”

New diagnostic pathways could become possible for different patient cohorts, he added. For kidney transplant patients, it was now possible to show a “tiny kidney infarction not clearly visible by a contrast enhanced ultrasound examination”.

For liver patients, the need for additional imaging, could potentially now be avoided, he added. “Around 30 per cent of my liver examination patients need to have CT or MRI, and further contrast enhanced ultrasound,” said Professor Clevert. “There might be an option for a shortcut, to start with super resolution before going to MRI or CT – to save both time and money.”

‘A huge amount of data’: A new perspective for doctors

The new ultrasound system uses an acoustic intelligence technology platform, combined with Mindray’s next-generation transducers to improve acoustic focusing, and support precise diagnosis.  This helps healthcare professionals to visualise often unseen details.

Professor Clevert said that the Resona A20’s option for super resolution meant “more frames in a shorter time, with additional information like dynamic flow direction”, in addition to providing results of image analysis on the same system, preventing the need to transfer information to external computers.

“You have the option to see very tiny vessels which are not normally visible,” he said. “You can see the flow direction, you get information regarding time of arrival, so how fast the contrast has arrived. It’s not only super resolution, we have vascular information, dynamic information.”

He described the potential for a “very big power insight”. “If you can acquire 500 frames in a second, and you can store 30 seconds, this means you have around 15,000 frames. This is a huge amount of data.”

 

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Insider Insight

#empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2025: A Global Celebration of Women in AI, Technology, and Economic Leadership

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The highly anticipated #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2025 returns for its fifth year, honoring global leaders who are shaping the AI-powered economy while driving corporate ESG and UN SDG goals. Hosted in both the U.S. and India, this industry recognition platform builds upon the success of the 2024 campaign, which reached 4.5 million impressions.

Presented by Women in Cloud (WIC) in collaboration with The Mainstream (formerly CIO News), the awards celebrate women technology and business leaders, impact filmmakers, entrepreneurs, investors, donors, wellness champions, and allies who are pioneering innovation in AI, cybersecurity, film, technology, and wellness.

“The #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Award 2025 honorees represent the future of leadership in the AI-powered economy,” said Chaitra Vedullapalli, President of Women in Cloud. “These women are leading transformative initiatives within their organizations, driving innovation and measurable business outcomes. Companies with women in senior leadership roles are 30% more likely to outperform their peers, proving that visibility and recognition of these leaders are critical for building a thriving, inclusive AI-powered economy.”

Women in Cloud’s past awards have showcased groundbreaking contributions, fostering equitable economic access, industry inclusivity, and policy-driven innovation. This year, the program expands globally to honor over 200 changemakers whose leadership is shaping critical industries.

Nominations officially opened on March 25, 2025.

The #empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Gala will be a premier gathering of industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and changemakers, celebrating transformative contributions to the AI-powered economy. This year’s ceremony will introduce two new award categories:

  • The Wellness Champion Award – Honoring leaders fostering corporate and community wellness initiatives.
  • The Impact Film Award – Recognizing films that champion women’s experiences in AI, wellness, and sustainability.

This global recognition platform also features signature categories, including:

  • Trailblazer Leadership Award – Recognizing women leaders or allies accelerating ESG and ERG efforts.
  • Technologist Visionary Award – Honoring pioneers in cloud, AI, and cybersecurity innovation.
  • Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year – Celebrating B2B and B2C women-led companies making an impact.
  • Mentor of the Year Award – Recognizing individuals championing women tech entrepreneurs and professionals.
  • Ally of the Year Award – Honoring those who empower and support women in tech.
  • Community Leadership Award – Highlighting individuals building inclusive, diverse talent ecosystems.
  • Generative AI Innovation Award – Recognizing leaders advancing equitable AI solutions.
  • Corporate Equality Advocate Award – Celebrating corporate champions of gender equality.

Being recognized at the #empowHERaccess Awards was a transformative moment, amplifying our mission and opening doors to global opportunities.” – Cara South, Trailblazer Leadership Award Winner 2024.

Join the Movement: Nominate a Leader Today

The #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards are a catalyst for change and recognition. By honoring the leaders, innovators, and allies shaping the future of AI, technology, and inclusivity, we drive a more equitable, diverse, and sustainable industry.

Now is your chance to be part of this transformative journey.

Submit your nominations today: https://womenincloud.com/empowheraccessawards2025/

Join the conversation on social media using #empowHERaccess2025

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