PhD Defence: Imke Visser

Promotion time for One Health PACT PhD Imke Visser! 

On Wednesday, January 7, Imke Visser will defend her PhD thesis titled: “West Nile virus pathogenesis – exploring the vector-virus-host interface” in the Prof. Andries Queridozaal Eg-370 at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.

Three key insights from Imke’s thesis:

Science in 1

“We developed a way to quickly test how harmful new mosquito-spread viruses could be to people. Using this method, we found that a West Nile virus discovered in a Dutch bird in 2020 can cause disease and serious brain damage.”

Science in 2

“When a mosquito bites you, it’s not just injecting a virus but it’s also spitting into your skin. This mosquito saliva contains specific ingredients that make your blood vessels “leakier”. Our research showed that this process actually helps the virus establish infection more effectively, resulting in more severe disease outcomes.”

Science in 3

“Different types of mosquitoes have different effects on blood vessels. We discovered that mosquitoes that prefer to bite humans have saliva that makes human skin blood vessels leaky, while mosquitoes that prefer to bite birds don’t have this same effect on human blood vessels. This difference could help us predict which mosquito species are more dangerous for spreading diseases to humans versus birds.”

Not attending in-person, but online? The online viewing will only be available when the defence begins at 10.30 via this link.

One Health approach

The PhD projects from the One Health PACT consortium explore the complex interplay between mosquitoes, viruses, ecosystems, and public health. Together, they provide new insights into disease dynamics, environmental drivers, and the neurological impact of mosquito-borne viruses, while also addressing how scientific knowledge can inform preparedness and policy. Collectively, the research exemplifies the power of a One Health approach to tackling emerging infectious diseases.