'Contributing to a better understanding of infectious disease transmission'
Finding sustainable solutions to the global risk of infectious diseases. This can only be achieved by bundling top academic research in the Netherlands, says the . The consortium, founded in 2016, is now celebrating its first anniversary. One Health research is more important than ever, as shown by the global coronapandemic. Antibiotic resistance is also a threat to human, animal and environmental health. NCOH has several research programs, which now include more than 65 PhDs. Four of them talk about their research and why it is so important.
'A single nanobody could help us combat future viral outbreaks'
Iris Swart, PhD at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ
‘What if part of the solution to global pandemics could be found in llamas? I think llama-derived nanobodies could be key in combatting future coronavirus and influenza virus outbreaks.
My research is about nanobodies, which are small antigen binding antibody fragments. They are ten times smaller than the conventional antibodies of our human immune system. We actually derive nanobodies from llama antibodies, as humans don’t produce them.
Being smaller, nanobodies can infiltrate areas an antibody possibly can’t reach. They can also be produced at lower costs, they are highly stable and they bind pathogens with high affinities. Another advantage is that we can optimise them in a lot of different ways.
Coronavirus-related research has become extremely relevant due to the current pandemic. I find it really striking that something as small as a virus can have such an impact on our daily lives. Viruses are very dynamic and the way they make use of living cells is remarkably smart. This is why I see it as a challenge to find ways to outsmart them.’
Studying mosquitos and their role in disease transmission
, PhD at Wageningen ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ & Research
‘During my studies of Biology, I became interested in aquatic ecology, ecotoxicology, ecosystem functioning and human-environment interactions. After my studies, I worked at Leiden ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, where I conducted a large-scale experiment to assess the effects of agricultural chemicals and the introduction of invasive cray fish species in ditch systems. In my spare time, I enjoy playing video games, watching football, listening to music, cooking and hanging out with my friends.
I applied for this particular PhD project because of its societal relevance and importance. I believe that by including citizens in the NCOH project we will promote dissertation and understanding of the knowledge that we acquire, which might eventually prove to be useful in future disease risk mitigation. Within my project I combine conventional mosquito trapping methods with citizen science approaches, for instance via The Muggenradar. I wish to contribute to a better understanding of mosquitoes, their ecology and their role in disease transmission.’
‘I found my sweet spot’
, PhD at UMC Utrecht
‘I’ve always wanted to be part of the application of science, although I’m also very interested in fundamental research. After initially looking at a career in drug development, I eventually became interested microbiology and decided to do a biomedical Master’s programme called Infection and Immunity.
After two internships, one at the lab where I’m currently doing research, I found my sweet spot. It’s one of the great things about NCOH: fundamental science aimed at therapeutic applications.
My own research attempts to understand the ‘complement system’, a part of our body’s immune system. In the first place I want to learn how this system is activated by antibodies. If we can find out how the system works and what it reacts to, we could, for example, use it to combat resistant bacteria.
I also became a member of the Young NCOH board. All my fellow researchers are doing such interesting, different things and I think we could learn a lot from each other by coming together.’
'I am always looking for NCOH colleagues to collaborate'
Ling-Yi Wu, PhD at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ
‘A huge amount of genetic information is transferred by viruses each day, maybe even more than the amount of data transferred by global internet traffic each month. I find this fascinating. I have a background in viral biology and ecology and I learned about data analysis during my Master’s. I linked viral sequence data to their potential microbial host data and environmental factors and found interesting relationships there, which was really exciting.
The goal of my PhD project is to find interactions between viruses and their microbial hosts and see how these interactions might influence the higher organisms’ health. I am developing computational pipelines that biologists can use to study viruses and microbes.
My time as a PhD student has been very good so far. I became a board member of Young NCOH, so I organise events and get to know people. I am always looking for colleagues within NCOH to collaborate with. Anyone is welcome to reach out to me to work together!’