I am leading the Translational Immuno-Pharmacology group at Leiden University, which works on translating the efficacy of anti-infective therapy from preclinical (e.g. in vivo) to clinical. Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, are in constant need of new therapies that work better, faster, and with less risk of resistance development. Host-directed therapy is a promising treatment option to target and engage the host’s immune system in the fight against the infection, in addition to antimicrobial therapy that target the pathogen. The group excels in both experimental and computational innovation, and close collaboration between experimentalists and computational modellers follows the Team Science approach.Experimentally, the group consolidates the translational pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic experiments, including exposure-time experiments in whole-organism and nanoscale blood sampling, and response experiments with fluorescence microscopy. HDT and their interaction with pathogen and treatment are studied and quantified through biomarker analysis, such as cytokines, immune cells, genetic, or (fluorescence) microscopy.Computationally, models incorporating pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunology are developed to quantify both antibiotic and host-directed drug effects in preclinical species (e.g. mice, zebrafish) and predict their efficacy in patients. Different modelling techniques such as population and semi-mechanistic models, agent-based models, and systems (immuno)pharmacology are employed.

I am leading the Translational Tuberculosis team consisting of 10 talented researchers responsible for developing and applying translational pharmacology tools to predict phase 1, 2, and 3 results based on preclinical data. This work is funded among others by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub.I am also working on the clinical trial data analysis in an integrative data analysis of four phase 3 clinical trials in immunocompromised people, and in an ongoing phase 2 clinical trial in patients with TB meningitis.

Pharmacometric model-based analysis of (1) integrative data from different preclinical experiments to predict novel efficacious and safe therapeutic regimens against tuberculosis in humans; (2) clinical datasets from phase 1 and 2 clinical trials in tuberculosis and other indications; and (3) vaccination trial against SARS-CoV-2, including statistical analysis plans, and primary and secondary analysis of the vaccine efficacy on COVID-19 as well as risk factors for COVID-19 specifically and respiratory tract infections in general.Part of this research is within the IMI consortium European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis (ERA4TB), an ambitious collaboration of 31 academic, non-profit, and commercial partners, including Universidad Carlos III and Institut Pasteur, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, and GSK and Janssen. Read more: https://era4tb.org/Part of this research is within the RE-BCG-CoV-19 consortium, bringing together a prestigious clinical research site (TASK, South Africa) with data analysts (Uppsala University) and clinical (Radboud, The Netherlands) and preclinical (Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Spain) experts, funded by the EDCTP. Read more: https://www.task.org.za/bcg/

Translational pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics of current standard of care and novel compounds in the treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. This research is part of the IMI consortium RespiriTB/NTM which includes Leiden partners of IBL, LACDR, and LUMC, and among others the universities of Antwerp and Sorbonne and Janssen Pharmaceutica. https://respiritbntm.eu/

I defended my dissertation entitled "Translational pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics in zebrafish: integration of experimental and computational methods" successfully on February 6th, 2020. The committee consisted of prof. dr. Ulrika Simonsson, prof. dr. Johan Gabrielsson, prof. dr. Fons Verbeek, prof. dr. Roeland Merks, prof. dr. Catherijne Knibbe, dr. Coen van Hasselt, prof. dr. Hubertus Irth (secretary) and was chaired by prof. dr. Douwe Breimer.Promotores: prof. dr. Piet Hein van der Graaf, prof. dr. Herman SpainkCo-promotor: dr. Elke KrekelsDuring this PhD research I've been trained in the following skills:- Non linear mixed effects modelling and simulation (NONMEM, R, R Shiny, Berkeley Madonna)- Sample preparation and LC/MS measurements - Brightfield and fluorescence microscopy and image analysis (ImageJ), including the VAST BioImager and Optical Projection Tomography- Data management including team coding (GitHub)PhD-students of LACDR are involved in the BSc and MSc educational programs Bio Pharmaceutical Sciences. I've supervised several students (internship / thesis) from university bachelor and master programs, as well as students from university of applied sciences. Additionally, I've assisted in supervision of work groups, assignments, as well as guest lectures of the following courses: - Systems Pharmacology (MSc)- Pharmacology (BSc 2) - Pharmacokinetics (BSc 1)- Academic skills (BSc 1)

Assisting LACDR's department of Pharmacology with education to first and second year Bio Pharmaceutical Sciences students.Courses:Thema Effecten van Geneesmiddelen 2Farmacologie

Literature review: Proposed framework for decision modelling in drug development.Nine month internship GSK: Development of modelling and simulation framework supporting development of anti-infective therapies for tuberculosis (European consortium PreDiCT-TB)Six month internship LACDR: Pharmacokinetic-Receptor Occupancy-Pharmacodynamic (PK-RO-PD) op dopamine D2 antagonists, as characterised by innovative LC/MS analysis

Final MSc internship: Pharmacokinetic-Receptor Occupancy-Pharmacodynamic (PK-RO-PD) op dopamine D2 antagonists, as characterised by innovative LC/MS analysis

Bartending, cooking (lunch and dinner)

Assisting the Faculty of Science Department of Communication and Marketing with small projects.

Nine month internship: Development of modelling and simulation framework supporting development of anti-infective therapies for tuberculosis (European consortium PreDiCT-TB)

Senior-editor of the Faculty magazine Origin. Writing, editing, checking the magazine.

The student-member of the Faculty Board gives the students of the faculty a voice in the general administration and policy, as well as facilitates conversations between different subpopulations like education committees and study associations.