Since my studies, I am intrigued by viruses, their prevalence and their impact on human society and evolution. Seeing the efficiency by which certain viruses (phages) can be used to treat bacterial infections let me to explore the potential of phages to interact with the innate immune response. This work has resulted in 15+ peer-reviewed publications (Google Scholar H-index: 12, citations > 735) including publications in Science (IF: 41.8), PNAS (IF: 11.2), Current opinion in Biotechnology (IF: 9.7) and Clinical infectious diseases (IF: 9.1). I was one of the first to show that phages modulate the innate immune response (Van Belleghem et al. 2017 Scientific Reports) and hypothesized (Van Belleghem et al. 2018 Viruses) and later showed that these immune responses can be exploited by their bacterial host (Sweere, Van Belleghem et al. 2019 Science).I have co-mentored eight PhD students and two master students, helped setup, and develop a phage research group at Stanford University (California, USA) as well as setting up the microbiology lab within the Balgrist University Hospital (Zurich, Switzerland) devoted to phage therapy. My observations have contributed to the field of phage biology in a previously unrecognized direction (phage – human immune interactions), as well as highlighting the need to use alternative model systems.More info: https://sites.google.com/view/jonasdvanbelleghem