Post-Doctoral Researchers

Dr. Katherine Loens is a clinical and molecular microbiologist. During and after obtaining her PhD she was actively involved in the development, evaluation and validation of molecular tests for the detection of respiratory pathogens in community-acquired respiratory infections within eg the FP6 GRACE project.  She is currently involved in the coordination of 3 Belgian reference centres: NRC respiratory pathogens, NRC enterococci and NRC invasive Group A Streptococci.  Furthermore, part of her time is dedicated to TRACE, an ESF-funded research networking programme.

Office: S6.24
E-mail: katherine.loens@uantwerpen.be
Tel.: +32 3 265 24 18

List of Publications

Dr. Leen Timbermont graduated a bio-engineer with a focus on microbiology and biotechnology. During and after her PhD she did research on virulence factors of Clostridium perfringens and on novel strategies to prevent and treat C. perfringens induced disease. Currently, she is involved in COMBACTE-APC1, an IMI funded project aiming to understand how Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia occurs and to develop better S. aureus disease prevention options.

Office: S6.21
E-mail: leen.timbermont@uantwerpen.be
Tel.: +32 32652551 

List of Publications

Dr. Liesbet Van Heirstraeten graduated as a Biomedical scientist with a focus on molecular cell biology and genetics. During her PhD at UA she did research on antibiotic resistance in gram-positive bacteria and molecular diagnostics. Currently she is involved in a project to evaluate the influence of pneumococcal vaccination programmes on nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae and other common potential pathogens in infants.

Office: S6.26
E-mail: liesbet.vanheirstraeten@uantwerpen.be
Tel.: +32 3 265 25 50      

List of Publications

Dr. Qiang Lin is a microbiologist with a background in environmental microbiome and bioinformatics. In 2016, he received his PhD in environmental science from Chinese Academy of Sciences. Qiang Lin is interested in medical and environmental microbiology, using RNAseq, whole genomic sequencing, metagenomics sequencing. Up to now, he has published 21 papers concerning microbiome in bioreactors, soil, metal remediation, methanogenesis and animal guts. In June 2019, he joined the LMM, worked on bioinformatics and focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying biofilm formation and transfer, and colistin resistance.

Office: S6.26
E-mail: Qiang.Lin@uantwerpen.be

List of Publications

Juan Pablo graduated as a Bachelor in Biotechnology at Universidad Pablo de Olavide (Seville) in 2016 and as a Master in Microbiology at Universidad de Granada in 2018. At the Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, he studies the microbiome of patients suffering from Respiratory Tract Infections and the effect of antibiotic intake in these patients.

Office: S6.25

E-mail: juanpablo.rodriguezruiz@uantwerpen.be

Tel.: +32 3 265 93 25

​List of Publications​

Minh earned her master’s degree in Biomedical sciences of Tropical and Infectious Diseases and her PhD at the University of Antwerp, where she investigated the genomic dynamics of antimicrobial resistance across One Health settings.

Her research focuses on the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in complex settings of community, hospitals, and environment. Using next-generation sequencing, she explores genetic adaptations driving pathogen evolution under antibiotic pressure.

Currently as a postdoctoral researcher at LMM, Minh continues to study antimicrobial resistance with a focus on bridging knowledge and healthcare gaps in low- and middle-income countries, particularly neonatal sepsis in Africa and Asia. Her work integrates plasmid evolution, diagnostic development, and comparative genomics of mobile resistance elements critical for controlling multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Office: S6.25E-mail: minh.nguyenngoc@uantwerpen.be

Tel.: +32 3 265 93 25

​List of Publications​