Mark G.J. de Boer is professor of Infectious Diseases at Leiden University Medical Center and the current president of the Dutch Working Party on Antibiotic Policy (Dutch acronym: SWAB). The title of his chair is ‘antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic stewardship’. In Dutch: ‘Antimicrobiële resistentie & Antibioticabeleid’ Next to his medical specialty, he is qualified as a clinical epidemiologist. In 2019 he was elected a Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America (FIDSA). He also serves as the infectious disease section editor 'het Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde'', is a frequently invited lecturer, and authored over 100 publications in the field of Infectious Diseases.

More information about Mark de Boer

Evolving epidemiology of AMR in clinically relevant micro-organisms

The research focuses on the evolving epidemiology of AMR in clinically relevant micro-organisms, on understanding the impact on health and disease of this ongoing process, and in particular on the consequences of increasing AMR for (new) antimicrobial strategies, antibiotic policy making  and antibiotic stewardship.      

The ongoing selection of resistant micro-organisms worldwide is caused by the use of antimicrobial agents as well as xenobiotica and has an increasing impact on the available treatment options for patients with complex bacterial and fungal infections. However, to what extent and at which pace AMR will affect the outcome of patients with infections caused by clinically relevant micro-organisms, remains to be studied for many common infectious diseases. Due to AMR, adaptations in empiric treatment strategies and new diagnostic approaches will be required over time. Which adaptations or interventions specifically are effective and at which level of resistance these interventions are necessary (i.e. outbalance the alternatives) needs to be studied and determined. Herein, differentiation will unfold between measures to be taken in specific hospitalized patient populations as well as in population/primary care medicine, to ensure adequate and proportional  responses towards AMR.  

The study of the effects of antibiotic stewardship (ABS) interventions will be part of the research focus and is strongly connected to the topics of study described above. Antibiotic stewardship is a broad term that encompasses all efforts that can be taken to optimize treatment results, but limits the overuse of antimicrobials. This implies that other fields, e.g. social sciences  will need to be involved when researching strongly correlated subjects e.g. acceptability of risk among prescribers with regard to situations in which narrowing-down or stopping antimicrobial treatment would be the most rational option.

Academic career

After graduation (medical degree, cum laude) in 2001, he was trained as a resident in internal medicine at Bronovo Hospital in The Hague and the Leiden University Medical Center. Subsequently, he enrolled in the infectious disease fellow training program in Leiden. After registration as infectious disease specialist, a PhD thesis entitled 'Risk factors and new markers of pulmonary fungal infection' was completed under the supervision of prof. dr Jaap T. van Dissel and dr. Frank P. Kroon. Thereafter the focus of research shifted towards the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Since then he has acquired and participated in grant-funded research (including RCTs) on the topics of antimicrobial therapy, prosthetic joint infection, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. As senior researcher, he has performed many studies on understanding and improving antimicrobial treatment and stewardship. From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic Mark de Boer has chaired the Dutch national advice on the medical therapy of COVID-19 for hospitalized patients from february 2020 onwards.

He was appointed professor of infectious diseases October 1, 2022 (inaugural lecture scheduled for June 9, 2023)

Activities