Biomaterial-associated infections and novel antimicrobial strategies

Infections of biomedical devices, or “biomaterials” (catheters, prosthetic heart valves, implants), are a major and increasing problem in modern medicine, especially in view of the increase in antibiotic resistance. We have discovered that bacteria do not only colonize the medical device by biofilm-formation, but also persist in surrounding tissue, due to disturbed local immunity. Bacterial, biomaterial, and host-responses involved in the pathogenesis are subject of studies, in order to find novel approaches for treatment and prevention.

Previously involved in the Dutch BMM NANTICO (Non-adherent ANTImicrobial Coatings) consortium, focused on the development of different antimicrobial coating strategies to prevent biomaterial-associated infections, and in the European FP7 project Biofilm Alliance (BALI), where we developed novel Synthetic Antimicrobial and Anti-biofilm Peptides. Later, we focused on customized treatment strategies for cranioplasty (CRANIOSAFE), and at developing a multi‐functional supramolecular polymeric biomaterial with cell‐adhesive and antimicrobial activity (SUPERACTIVE). He was co-supervisor of a PhD student in the PRINT-AID Marie Curie Training Network.

Currently, he is work package leader in the EU Twinning project CEMBO on multispecies biofilms and he is involved in the GDST/LIFT (NWO), NESDAP (NWO), DARTBAC (NWA), and NACQAC (TKI-LSH) projects on novel antimicrobials and coating strategies. Moreover, he is co-supervisor of 2 PhD students in the STIMULUS Marie Curie Training Network.