Netherlands
Viruses and how to inhibit virus infections are subjects that always intrigued me. I did my PhD at the laboratory of Experimental Virology in the AMC Amsterdam and worked on the inhibition of HIV-1 entry by fusion inhibitors and escape mechanisms. In addition, I was involved in different projects focused on the immunogenicity and antigenicity of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. After obtaining my PhD, I moved to New York to the lab of Peter Palese. I have been involved in a variety of projects, ranging from the development and characterization of broadly neutralizing antibodies using mouse hybridoma’s to the development of a universal influenza vaccine. To further pursue my work on the evolution and diversity of seasonal and zoonotic influenza viruses I joined the the Department of Medical Microbiology of the AMC Amsterdam in 2014 to address clinically and epidemiologically relevant questions pertaining to zoonotic influenza, in particular HPAI H5N1 viruses. I have establish sequencing and bioinformatic pipelines and a wide variety off molecular techniques to investigate genetic diversity and functional consequences of viral genes of interest.
Assistant professor at the Laboratory of Applied Evolutionary Biology, working on the evolution of respiratory viruses and in particular Influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2. Combining genetic analyses (NGS, intra-host genetic diversity) with functional analyses in the lab to study polymerase activity, receptor binding and virus entry to learn more about host adaptation and immune escape.
Teamleader Influenza virus research at the department of Medical Microbiology of the Amsterdam UMC. My research focuses on the evolution and adaptation of human and avian influenza viruses. Supervising 3 PhD students and 2 technicians.
Department of Medical Microbiology Mentor: Dr Menno de Jong Research topic: Adaptation of highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza virus.
Department of Microbiology Mentor: Dr Peter Palese Reserach topic: - Role of N-linked glycosylation to develop a universal influenza vaccine - Identification of broadly neutralising antibodies directed against the stem domain of influenza virus hemagglutinin.
Department of Medical Microbiology Supervisor: Dr Rogier Sanders Research topic: Resistance mechanisms to new classes of HIV-1 fusion inhibitors.
Department of Medical Microbiology - Laboratory of Experimental Virology Supervisor: Dr Ben Berkhout and Dr Rogier Sanders Research topic: Resistance to HIV-1 fusion inhibitors