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Suzan Rooijakkers is a Full Professor at UMC Utrecht focusing on unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial killing by the human immune system. She specifically investigates the molecular functioning of the complement system, a large protein network in plasma that plays an essential role in the immune response to invading bacteria. The complement system rapidly labels bacteria for phagocytosis by immune cells and can directly kill Gram-negative bacteria through pore formation via the Membrane Attack Complex (MAC). This mechanism is evolutionarily conserved for bacterial cell death, and Rooijakkers's work aims to deepen the understanding of how complement activation leads to bacterial killing. In 2015, she received a prestigious ERC Starting Grant aimed at providing insight into bacterial killing mechanisms. Her lab has established novel methods to study complement activation using highly purified model systems, which allow for detailed insights into MAC-dependent bacterial killing. Her research aims to contribute to the development of anti-bacterial immunotherapies by providing scientific understanding of the mechanisms by which antibodies and complement induce bacterial immune clearance.
UMC Utrecht • Utrecht
Lead research on the molecular mechanisms of bacterial killing by the immune system.
PhD candidates at UMC Utrecht are generally considered employees. Admission requires first securing a position with a professor (promotor) within the Graduate School of Life Sciences.