Dr. Katherine Loens
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
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
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. Minh Nguyen Ngoc
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