One Health PACT Newsletter 2025
On Thursday, the 3rd of July, Tessa Nelemans will defend her thesis ‘Outsmarting the host: unraveling virus-host interactions and their impact on Usutu virus replication’ at Universiteit Leiden.
On Wednesday, the 14th of May, Pauline de Best defended her PhD thesis titled: ‘Knowledge to Practice, translation of scientific outputs to preparedness and response for mosquito-borne viruses‘ at Erasmus MC.
On Wednesday, the 30th of April, Ayat Abourashed defended her PhD thesis titled: ‘Making Public Health Public: The Role of Surveys and Citizen Science in Mosquito-Borne Virus Prevention’ at Erasmus MC.
On Tuesday, the 18th of March, Sam Boerlijst defended his PhD thesis titled: ‘An Egg is Always an Adventure: anthropogenic impacts on Culex pipienspopulation dynamics’ at the Center for Environmental Sciences (CML) of Leiden University.
On Thursday, the 13th of February, Eleanor Marshall defended her PhD thesis titled: ‘Storming the Castle – Usutu virus vs. West Nile virus: insights into neuroinvasion’ at the Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.
On Wednesday, the 17th of December, Kiki Streng defended her PhD thesis titled: ‘From research to preparedness: A study of zoonotic arboviruses in animals, the Netherlands’ at the Wageningen University & Research.
On Tuesday, the 19th of November, Afonso Dimas Martins defended his PhD thesis titled: ‘Disentangling the web – Using models to explore vector-borne disease dynamics in ecosystems’ at the Universiteit Utrecht.
On Friday, the 4th of October, Charlotte Linthout defended her PhD thesis titled: ‘The role of native and invasive mosquito species in the spread of emerging arboviruses in the Netherlands’ at the Wageningen University & Research.
On Wednesday, the 28th of August, Rody Blom defended his PhD thesis titled: ‘Chasing Culex: The effects of landscape configuration and climate on Culex pipiens populations throughout the seasons’ at Wageningen University & Research.
Annual meeting One Health PACT
The One Health PACT Annual Meeting took place on Friday, January 24, 2025, under the leadership of Marion Koopmans. The event brought together experts and researchers for a day of insightful presentations and discussions, fostering collaboration and advancing knowledge in the field of One Health.
Marion Koopmans opened the meeting with a keynote address, setting the tone for the day’s discussions. This was followed by research updates presented by PhD candidates Mariken de Wit, Clara Delecroix, and Tom van der Most. They provided a concise overview of their own individual research. Additionally, PhD candidate Pauline de Best shared valuable insights on bridging the gap between research and public health action.
The afternoon sessions featured a series of PhD presentations, where researchers Muriel Aguilar Bretones, Eleanor Marshall, and Joyce van Bree presented their findings, contributing to the broader One Health discourse. Institutional updates were provided by Gerard Schrier (KNMI), along with Gertjan Geerling and Martha Dellar (Deltares), who highlighted recent research initiatives relevant to the One Health framework.
Funding opportunities were a key focus of the latter part of the program. Reina Sikkema and Marieta Braks led discussions on potential funding avenues, including the Dutch pathogen portal and West Nile Virus research. The meeting concluded with a presentation by Stella Koppel from NWO, who outlined funding opportunities available through the Dutch Research Council.
The event wrapped up with closing remarks and a networking session, reinforcing the collaborative spirit of the One Health community.
Prof. Koopmans International Member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
On Friday, April 25, during the 162nd Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), newly elected members and international members — including Professor Marion Koopmans — were formally introduced and signed the official Registry of Membership.
NAS membership is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive. Members are elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Election to membership in the NAS is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive.
The NAS currently comprises approximately 2,700 members and 500 international members. Notably, around 200 of these members have been awarded Nobel Prizes.
Three Biology and Laboratorial Research students from Avans are working for the next six months on OHPACT-related projects under the supervision of teachers with OHPACT. Within this part of the curriculum of the bachelor education, project based learning is essential.
One Health PACT on NPO2 FOCUS about mosquitos and infectious diseases
Is the Netherlands a Mosquito-paradise? How do scientists from diverse disciplines collaborate to study mosquitoes and infectious diseases?
Tune in to FOCUS on NPO2 for an in-depth look at how researchers work together on this critical public health issue.
This episode features One Health PACT researchers Marion Koopmans, Sander Koenraadt, Maarten Schrama, PhD candidate Charlotte Linthout, and PDPC PhD candidate Jordy van der Beek. Together, they showcase the importance of a One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health perspectives, in understanding and controlling mosquito-borne diseases.
Effect of mosquito saliva from distinct species on human dermal endothelial cell function in vitro and West Nile virus pathogenesis in vivo
Published: May 6, 2025
Authors: Imke Visser, Vincent Vaes, Peter van Run, Eleanor M. Marshall, Lars Vermaat, Charlotte Linthout, Dick H.W. Dekkers, Jeroen A.A. Demmers, Marion P.G. Koopmans, Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt, Melanie Rissmann, Barry Rock
One Health preparedness and response for mosquito-borne viruses: a stakeholder- and social network-analysis in the Netherlands
Published: January 24, 2025
Authors: Sam P. Boerlijst, Eline Boelee, Peter M. van Bodegom, Maarten Schrama
Inaugural lecture Gorben Pijlman
In November 2023, Gorben Pijlman was appointed professor Arbovirology & Medical Biotechnology at Wageningen University. On Friday, 20 September 2024, he gave his inaugural lecture, titled “Infections in facts”.
Quirine ten Bosch appointed new professor Infectious Disease Epidemiology
The board of Wageningen University & Research appointed Prof. Dr. Quirine ten Bosch as professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IDE). Ten Bosch’ appointment is effective from September 2024. She delivered her inaugural lecture on March 14th 2025, in Wageningen, titled “Contagion Untangled: On Superspeaders, Silent Reservoirs, and Dead-Ent Hosts”.
Inaugural address Prof. Dr. Sander Koenraadt
In May 2024, Prof. dr Sander Koenraadt is appointed as professor Ecology and Control of Disease Vectors at Wageningen University. He delivered his inaugural lecture, titled “Blood, sweat, and fears” on Friday, 21 March 2025.
July
Thursday, July 3rd – 2025
Upcoming defence: Tessa Nelemans
October
Tuesday, October 7th – Saturday, October 11th – 2025
Planetary Health Annual Meeting 2025
One Health PACT
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This newsletter is part of the research programme One Health PACT with project number 109986, which is (partly) financed by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).