I am working as a postdoc at the department of Animal Sciences at Leiden University and the department of Infectious Diseases at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). My research focuses on the identification of host-directed therapies against bacterial infections, including Salmonella typhimurium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and MRSA.

More information about Robin van den Biggelaar

Research

The increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria pose a major threat to our health. Worldwide, an estimated one million deaths per year can be attributed to the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance. One strategy to treat these “untreatable” bacterial infections is the development of host-directed therapeutics (HDTs). Unlike antibiotics that act directly on bacteria, HDTs act on our own cells to create an environment that favors bacterial elimination. HDTs offer several advantages. Most importantly, HDTs are effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Secondly, bacteria are less likely to become resistant since there is no direct selection pressure from the drugs. Thirdly, HDTs are potentially effective against latent bacterial infections in which bacteria are non-replicating or metabolically inactive. Finally, HDTs may synergize with classical antibiotics and together effectively kill both intracellular and extracellular bacteria.

My research focuses on the identification of drug candidates with HDT activity against several bacterial infections, including Salmonella typhimurium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Although these bacterial species are very different, all three are able to resist the immune system and even thrive by hijacking our own cells. In my research, I make use of in vitro models (including cell lines and primary macrophages) and zebrafish embryo infection models to study the effectiveness, safety and mechanism-of-action of HDTs.

Brief biography

I have studied Biomedical Sciences with the Infection and Immunity master program at Utrecht University Medical Center. During internships at Utrecht University and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, I became familiar with host-pathogen interactions by studying the binding of coronaviruses to sialic acids and the responses of mucosa-associated invariant T cells against bacteria, respectively. After my studies, I did my PhD at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University. During my PhD I worked on the development of in vitro alternatives for animal models that are used to test vaccines for quality. Currently, I am working as a postdoc at the department of Animal Sciences at Leiden University and the department of Infectious Diseases at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). My research focuses on the identification of host-directed therapies against bacterial infections, including Salmonella typhimurium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and MRSA.

Publications