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Axel Faes

Postdoctoral Researcher - Data Scientist - Computational Neuroscientist - Computer Engineer

Work & Research Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher: Scientific Coordinator and Artificial Intelligence

UHasselt

  • Scientific Coordinator of the Flanders AI Research program, Use Case Real World Evidence.
  • Technical Machine Learning lead of the Biomedical Data Sciences Group, UHasselt

Postdoctoral Researcher: Brain-Computer Interfacing and Machine Learning

KU Leuven

  • Project: "Sign Language Alphabet decoding from intracranial brain activity"
  • Group: Prof. Marc van Hulle, Computational Neuroscience, Laboratory for Neuro-and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven

Data Science Consultant

Flanders BCI

  • Provided consulancy for physical experiments using Synamps RT and Neuvo EEG Systems.
  • Supported the data analysis for hybrid BCI with new analytical EEG modeling techniques & signal detection- and classification algorithms.
  • Infer emotion from EEG signals using machine learning techniques.
  • Usage of ECoG signals from semi-invasive recording for imagined movement detection and language processing.

Research Stay Idrogenet Srl, Gloreha: Robotic Rehabilitation

Lumezzane, Italy

  • Develop custom software for the control of the Gloreha robotic rehabilitation device,
  • Specifically the R-TOUCH PRO Sinfonia, a custom-built robotic exoskeleton for hand rehabilitation.

PhD Researcher in Computational Neuroscience

KU Leuven

  • Cognitive and Molecular Neuroscience
  • PhD Thesis: Finger Movement Decoding: From Source-Localisation to Tensor Regression Modelling

Web Performance Research Internship

UHasselt

  • I worked on the iMinds PRO-FLOW project @ Expertise centre for Digital Media (EDM)
  • focus on the difference between the http versions (http1.1, https, http2).

Summer Research Internship Physical Computing

UHasselt

  • Interfacing between human entity, a drone and virtual objects @ Expertise centre for Digital Media (EDM).
  • (C++, Optitrack motion capture, custom built drone)

Teaching & Academic Activities

BKO (Basis Kwalificatie Onderwijs) traject - Onderwijsprofessionalisering

UHasselt

2025

Advanced Topics in Data Science (4569 & 4585) Lecturer Federted Learning (lid onderwijsteam)

UHasselt

June 2024 - Sept. 2025

Bio-informatica (3740) Co-lecturer (co-titularis)

UHasselt

June 2024 - Sept. 2025

Guest Associate Editor Use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Multiple Sclerosis

Frontiers in Immunology

2024 - 2025

Student Research Competition Judge (International Conference on Functional Programming)

ICFP

2024

Brain-Computer Interfacing (B-KUL-H08M0A) Guest Lecturer

KU Leuven

2022-2025

Educational background

Flemish Sign Language course

Flemish Sign Language Centre (Vlaams Gebarentaal Centrum)

  • Graduates are able to engage in day-to-day conversations with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

Doctoral Programme in Biomedical Science (PhD) in Computational Neuroscience

KU Leuven

  • Cognitive and Molecular Neuroscience
  • PhD Thesis: Finger Movement Decoding: From Source-Localisation to Tensor Regression Modelling

Advanced Master of Science in Engineering (M.Sc.) in Artificial Intelligence

KU Leuven

  • Engineering and Computer Science (76% - Cum Laude)
  • Thesis: An Information Theoretical Approach to EEG Source-Reconstructed Connectivity (on Github)

Honoursprogramme of the Faculty of Engineering Science (Research Track)

KU Leuven

  • Research Assistant: design of type-&-effect system for Eff based on row polymorphism
  • Research Assistent: efficient compilation of algebraic effect handlers (in Eff)

Master of Science in Engineering (M.Sc.) in Computer Science (Burgelijk Ingenieur - ir.)

KU Leuven

  • Artificial Intelligence & Theoretical Computer Science (76% - Cum Laude)
  • Thesis: Algebraic Subtyping for Algebraic Effects and Handlers (on Github)

Business Summer School: United in Manchester (0739)

The University of Manchester

  • International Business

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Computer Science

UHasselt

  • Physics and General courses (79% - Magna Cum Laude)
  • Thesis: Machine learning techniques for flow-based network intrusion detection systems (on Github)
#LeadingAIinHealth dr. ir. Axel Faes · Curriculum Vitae

Honors & Awards

Jan 2018 FWO Fundamental Research Grant, FWO Belgium
Mar 2018 Finalist, Cyber Security Challenge 2018 Brussels, Belgium
Sep 2017 3rd place, ICFP 2017 Student Research Competition Oxford, UK
Jul 2016 Bachelor Award, in Computer Science UHasselt, Belgium
May 2016 3rd place, ACM CHI 2016 Student Design Competition San Jose, CA, USA
Feb 2016 2nd place, BeGDC (Belgian Game Development Championship) Brussel, Belgium
Jan 2016 IELTS, Academic Module (8.0/9.0) Brussel, Belgium

Extracurricular Activities

Coach

DjangoGirls

Mar. 2018 - 2024

  • Inspire women to fall in love with programming (Python, Django workshops)

Coach

CoderDojo (UHasselt, PXL)

Sep. 2014 - 2025

  • Teach children programming (Scratch, Python, Minecraft and Lego mindstorm).

Student Representative

KU Leuven

Sep. 2017 - Sep. 2018

  • POC of Master Computer Science Engineering,
  • POC of Advanced Master Artificial Intelligence,
  • Member of Departmental council of Computer Science, Department board of Computer Science and Faculty council of Engineering Science

Student Council Member

StuRa UHasselt

Mar. 2015 - Aug. 2016

  • Member of Board of Education, Faculty Council. Board of Student Facilities, Diversity Commission,
  • Temporary representative in VVS (Vlaamse Vereniging van Studenten vzw)

Student Representative

UHasselt

Sep. 2013 - Jul. 2016

  • Representing students interests in a Computer Science education context.
  • Representing Computer Science education for high school students

Projects

Cardinal: scripting language

Lead Developer

  • Written in C (and since 2023, in C++14). High performance (on par with Luajit 2.1 -joff).

Reinforcement Learning Agent in Google Deepmind’s StarCraft II Framework

Developer

  • Implement reinforcement learning algorithms in PySC2 utilising the KU Leuven supercomputer.

IoT-platform with pluggable sensors

Developer

  • Showcase large-scale use of Internet of Things sensors

ICAL parser for KU Leuven schedules

Lead Developer

  • An nodejs application to create an iCalender file for courses at KU Leuven. (>1000 active users)

Search and Recommendation System

Team Member

  • A search and recommendation system for VoD (Video on Demand) for Androme.
  • In production in the Nebula project.

Household Survival

Researcher

  • A tower-defense game written in Unity utilising Optitrack motion capture.
  • Combine the virtual world and reality using augmented reality

Visual Programming IDE

Developer

  • A Visual programming IDE (Java)
#LeadingAIinHealth dr. ir. Axel Faes · Curriculum Vitae

Publications

Papers in Preparation
[1] Axel Faes Liesbet Peeters Marc Van Hulle "Federated Transfer Learning for intracranial motor brain-computer interfaces"
[2] Axel Faes Liesbet Peeters "Block-Term Tensor Regression as an autoencoder "
[3] Axel Faes Liesbet Peeters "Federated Block-Term Tensor Regression for Heart Diseases in Realistic Healthcare Settings" Spotlight
[4] Ashkan Pirmani Edward De Brouwer Adam Arany Martijn Oldenhof Antoine Passemiers Axel Faes Tomas Kalincik et al. "Personalized Federated Learning for Predicting Disability Progression in Multiple Sclerosis Using Real-World Routine Clinical Data" Submitted to npj Digital Medicine (15.357 IF) (Under review)
[5] Valentina Pergher* Axel Faes* Yide Li Marc M. Van Hulle (* equal contribution) "How stimulus type and task structure can affect ERP signatures" Submitted to Frontiers in Psychology, section Cognition (2.6 IF) (Under review)
[6] Axel Faes Eva Calvo Merino Anais Van Hoylandt Elina Keirse Tom Theys Marc M. Van Hulle "Finger abduction trajectory prediction from high-density ECoG" Submitted to Journal of Neural Engineering (5.4 IF) (Under review)
[7] Axel Faes Mariana P. Branco Anais Van Hoylandt Elina Keirse Tom Theys Nick F. Ramsey Marc M. Van Hulle "Decoding Sign Language Finger Movements from high-density ECoG using Graph-Optimized Block Term Tensor Regression" Submitted to Journal of Neural Engineering (5.4 IF) (Under review)
International Journal Papers
[8] Eva Calvo Merino Axel Faes Marc M. Van Hulle "The role of distinct ECoG frequency features in decoding finger movement" Journal of Neural Engineering (5.4 IF)
[9] Axel Faes Marc M. Van Hulle "Finger movement and coactivation predicted from intracranial brain activity using extended Block-Term Tensor Regression" Journal of Neural Engineering (5.4 IF) Spotlight
[10] Axel Faes Flavio Camarrone Marc M. Van Hulle "Single finger trajectory prediction from intracranial brain activity using Block-Term Tensor Regression with fast and automatic component extraction" IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems (14.25 IF)
[11] Axel Faes Aurelie de Borman Marc M. Van Hulle "Source space reduction for eLORETA" Journal of Neural Engineering (5.4 IF)
[12] Axel Faes Iris Vantieghem Marc M. Van Hulle "Neural Networks for Directed Connectivity Estimation in Source-Reconstructed EEG Data" Applied Sciences (2.9 IF)
Conference Papers
[13] "Proprioceptive Feedback Challenges Motor Intention Detection from EEG during Human-Exoskeleton Interaction" Proceedings of 2025 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR) 2025
[14] Robin Marx Maarten Wijnants Peter Quax Axel Faes Wim Lamotte "Web Performance Characteristics of HTTP/2 and comparison to HTTP/1.1" International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies, pg 87-114
[15] Robin Marx Peter Quax Axel Faes Wim Lamotte "Concatenation, embedding and sharding: Do HTTP/1 performance best practices make sense in HTTP/2?" WEBIST 2017 - Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies
Other publication
[16] Matija Pretnar Amr Hany Shehata Saleh Axel Faes Tom Schrijvers "Efficient compilation of algebraic effects and handlers" 2017 - CW Reports, CW708, 32 pp. Leuven, Belgium: Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven.
Thesis
[17] Axel Faes "Finger Movement Decoding: From Source-Localisation to Tensor Regression Modelling" PhD Thesis
[18] Axel Faes "An Information Theoretical Approach to EEG Source-Reconstructed Connectivity" Advanced Master's Thesis
[19] Axel Faes "Algebraic Subtyping for Algebraic Effects and Handlers" Master's Thesis
[20] Axel Faes "Machine learning techniques for flow-based network intrusion detection systems" Bachelor's thesis
Posters
[21] Axel Faes Tom Schrijvers "Towards a Core Language with Row-Based Effects for Optimised Compilation" International Conference on Functional Programming 2017 Student Research Competition
Extended Abstracts
[22] Qiang Sun Axel Faes Marc M. Van Hulle "Individual and Coordinated Finger Movements Decoding from High-Density EEG and Its Implication in Hand Exoskeleton Control" European Congress of NeuroRehabilitation 2023
[23] Eva Calvo Merino Axel Faes Marc M. Van Hulle "Modulation of LMPs using the gamma band increases the stability of finger trajectories decoded from ECoG" BCI (Brain-computer interfaces) - Society 2023
[24] Axel Faes Benjamin Wittevrongel Marc M. Van Hulle "Reconstructing single finger trajectories from intracranial brain activity" III International Conference "Volga Neuroscience Meeting 2021"
[25] Axel Faes Mansoureh Fahimi Hnazaee Marc M. Van Hulle "Causal Graphical Modelling of Functional Connectivity from Reconstructed EEG Sources" 8th International BCI Meeting (2021)
[26] Axel Faes Tom Schrijvers "Towards a Core Language with Row-Based Effects for Optimised Compilation" International Conference on Functional Programming 2017 Student Research Competition
[27] Kashyap Todi Brent Berghmans Axel Faes Matthijs Kaminski "Purpose-Centric Appropriation of Everyday Objects as Game Controllers" CHI EA '16: Extended Abstracts of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Late Breaking Work
[28] Kashyap Todi Donald Degraen Brent Berghmans Axel Faes Matthijs Kaminski Kris Luyten "Household Survival: Immersive Room-Sized Gaming Using Everyday Objects as Weapons" CHI EA '16: Extended Abstracts of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Student Game Competition
#LeadingAIinHealth dr. ir. Axel Faes · Curriculum Vitae

Supervised students, talks and other media

Students
[1] "Matteo Ramina" Estimating Household Wealth in Guyana - Remote Sensing and Convolutional Neural Network Approach
[2] "Mohsen Soleimanisemsani" AI for time series imputation
[3] "Meseret Assefa Kerga" Predicting Cirrhosis Patient Survival Using Machine Learning - A Data-Driven Approach
[4] "Dongho Chun" (Federated) Machine Learning for Health Data
[5] "Dries Cornelissen" Federated Learning for Regression modelling with Cardiovascular Health Data
[6] "Ward Ceyssens" Brain-Computer Interfacing - population-based finger movement decoding
[7] "Qiang Sun" Hand exoskeleton dexterity achieved by shared control with a semi-invasive brain-computer interface
[8] "Eva Calvo Merino" Restoring finger dexterity with an exoskeleton controlled by human intracranial recordings
[9] "Aurélie de Borman" Investigating the effect of Source Mixing on Directed Connectivity estimated between Simulated Reconstructed EEG Sources
[10] "Diogo Sousa Morais" Estimating the effectiveness of source localized EEG for BCIs
[11] "Guilherme de Borras Silva" Cluster Permutation Analysis of N-Back related EEG-ERP Data
[12] "Iris Vantieghem" Using Neural Networks to derive Directed Connectivity between Reconstructed EEG Sources
[13] "Didier Quintius" Neural Network Approach to the Inverse Problem
Talks, presentations and other media
2025 "Guest Lecture "Federated Finger movement decoding - brain-computer interfacing"" KULeuven
2024 "Use Case - Real-World Evidence" Flanders Artificial Intelligence Research Program (FAIR) Research Day
2024 "FAIR Use Case Real World Evidence Kick-off Event" Flanders Artificial Intelligence Research Program (FAIR)
2023 "Decoding finger movements from invasive recordings in human motor cortex" Mindseed event Leuven, NeuroTech Leuven
2023 "Guest Lecture "Finger movement decoding - brain-computer interfacing"" KULeuven
2022 "Coordinated Finger Movements Predicted from Intracranial Brain Activity" International Congress Humanities vs Sciences & the Knowledge Accelerating in Modern World: Parallels an Interaction,
2022 "BCI demo - Advanced Engineering, Antwerp Expo" AI Vlaanderen, Vlaanderen Industrie 4.0
2022 "Guest Lecture "Decoding single and coordinated finger actions from intracranial brain activity"" KULeuven
2022 "Finger abduction trajectory prediction from high-density ECoG" Leuven AI Scientific Workshop
2021 "Decoding single and coordinated finger actions from intracranial brain activity." XIV World Scientific Congress - SCIENCE FOR PEACE Modern Science, Global and Regional Theory and Practice
2021 "Guest Lecture "Finger Movement Decoding - From Source-Localisation to Tensor Regression Modelling"" KULeuven
2021 "Reconstructing single finger trajectories from intracranial brain activity" III International Conference "Volga Neuroscience Meeting 2021"
2021 "BCI demo - Dag van de Wetenschap" Technopolis (geannuleerd wegens de covid-19 situatie)
2019 "Presentation "'MINDSPELLER' Medical Research Project on Brain Computer Interfaces" and concert (with Tigran Maytesian and his Mind Speller Chamber Orchestra)" Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele, Brussel
2017 "Honours student Axel Faes wins bronze medal in ACM SIGPLAN" KU Leuven, Department of Computer Science
2017 "Student Axel Faes wins bronze medal in the ACM SIGPLAN Student Research Competition in ICFP conference" KU Leuven, Department of Computer Science, DTAI
2016 "Purpose-Centric Appropriation of Everyday Objects as Game Controllers" ACM SIGCHI
#LeadingAIinHealth dr. ir. Axel Faes · Curriculum Vitae