Infection Biology
Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences – division Infectious Diseases and Immunology
Mucosal microbes in health and disease
We've co-evolved for millions of years with the bacteria in our intestinal tract. These bacteria, both the continuously present intestinal microbiota and the occasional pathogenic bacteria, have great impact on intestinal health and disease.
At the division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology of the Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, we study commensal and pathogenic intestinal bacteria, their interactions with the human or animal host, and how they contribute to health and cause intestinal inflammation and disease. Our main goal is to provide mechanistic insights into host-microbe interactions in the intestine that lead the way for the development of novel therapeutic intervention strategies.

Our main areas of focus are:
  • - The role of intestinal bacteria in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis)
  • - Enteropathogenic bacterial infections like Salmonella and Campylobacter
  • - The impact of the microbiota on health and disease
  • - Bacterial adaptation and virulence strategies in the intestinal tract
  • - Innate immune responses against bacterial and fungal pathogens
  • - The development of vaccines against intestinal bacteria
Latest News
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Esther Nolte-‘t Hoen Group
Associate Professor
Mechanisms of host-pathogen communication
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Karin Strijbis Group
Associate Professor, Interim Head of the InfBio Group
Mucosal Host-Microbe Interactions
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Marc Wösten Group
Assistant Professor
Bacterial Adaptation Mechanisms
Equipment and Facilities
  • Anaerobic bacterial culturing
  • Bacterial infection assays
  • CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing
  • Next-generation Sequencing
  • Sortagging technology
  • High-throughput bioscreening
  • C.C.I - Center for Cell Imaging
  • One Health explant facility
Anaerobic bacterial culturing
Anaerobic bacterial culturing
We are highly experienced with the culture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and multiple culturing facilities are available in the lab:
  • - An anaerobic chamber for culture of strict (intestinal) anaerobes.
  • - A culture chamber with low oxygen for microaerophilic bacteria such as Campylobacter jejuni.
  • - Culture jars that allow regulation of gas composition.