Symposium: A Dutch Perspective on Mycobacterial Infections

Date: Monday 24 March 2025
Time: 09:30
Location: Gorlaeus Gebouw
Einsteinweg 55
2333 CC Leiden
Room: CM.1.26

About

On the 24th of March 2025, World TB day, we organize a symposium to connect the Dutch scientific community working on mycobacterial infections. We will cover all aspects of tuberculous or non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections with topics ranging from basic science to drug development, vaccines, diagnostics, clinical treatment and societal impact.

The symposium is sponsored by MycobacteriumXL, a Leiden-Amsterdam-Nijmegen research consortium funded by the NWO-XL program, and by LiBTC, the Leiden interdisciplinary TB consortium.

Organizers: Annemarie Meijer (IBL), Matthias Barz (LACDR), and Simone Joosten (LUMC).

Do you work on Mycobacteria in the Netherlands and are you interested to join the symposium? Registration is open until March 1st, 2025.

Register now!

Program

09:30 - 10:00	Walk-in
10:00 - 10:15	Welcome
10:15 - 11:15	Session 1: Host-pathogen Interactions Chair: Annemarie Meijer (IBL) Speakers: Edith Houben (VU): Understanding the mechanisms of protein transport and functional roles of mycobacterial type VII secretion systems Nicole van der Wel (AMC): Lipid loaded lysosomes in TB, new leads to application Robin van den Biggelaar (LUMC): In Search of Host-Directed Therapies to Combat Mycobacterial Infections
11:15 - 11:45	Flash Talks: Paula Niewold (LUMC) Elly Van Riet (TBVI) Puck Pelzer (AMC) Pieter van der Velden (RadboudUMC) Amit Kumar Verma (LUMC) Ildiko van Rhijn (UU / AMC) Saloni Saxena (LU) Ajit Yadav (LU)
11:45 - 13:15	Lunch and Posters
13:15 - 14:15	Session 2: Development of Drugs, Nanomedicines and Vaccines Chair: Matthias Barz (LACDR) Speakers: Rob Aarnoutse (RadboudUMC): Development of TB drugs: it’s all about concentrations Matthias Barz (LACDR): Nanomedicines in tuberculosis therapy: From a more specific delivery of antibiotics to combination therapies Frank Verreck (BPRC): Alternative BCG immunisation strategies in NHP reveal improved pulmonary efficacy and correlates of protective immunity
13:15 - 15:15	Session 3: Clinical Research and Diagnostics Chair: Simone Joosten (LUMC) Speakers: Arjan van Laarhoven (RadboudUMC): Heterogeneity in Tuberculosis Onno Akkerman (UMCG): Individualised treatment with a holistic approach Annemieke Geluk (LUMC): Immunodiagnostics for mycobacterial diseases: from peptides to point -of-care
15:15 - 15:45	Coffee Break
15:45 - 16:15	Keynote Lecture - David Russel (Cornell University): Development of host-centric strategies to improve anti-TB therapeutics
16:15 - 17:15	Session 4: Societal Impact Chair: Tom Ottenhoff (LUMC) Speakers: Frank Cobelens (AMC): Asymptomatic TB: evidence and implications for TB elimination Richard Anthony (RIVM): High resolution genotyping to help understand tuberculosis epidemiology and support therapy in the Netherlands Paulina Siniatkina (TB Ambassador KNCV): HOW TO END the TaBoo
17:15 - 17:30	Closing Words
17:30 - 18:30	Drinks

A Dutch Perspective on Mycobacterial Infections