Leen Delang

Dr. Leen Delang serves as a Senior Lecturer at KU Leuven's Faculty of Medicine within the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation. She leads the Mosquito Virology Team as part of the Virus-host Interactions and Therapeutic Approaches (VITA) Research Group at the Rega Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Delang is also a member of the Division Virology Group 4 – Rega and Leuven One Health – KU Leuven One Health Institute, and serves on both the Faculty Council of Medicine and Departmental Council for Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation.

Her research focuses on mosquito-borne viruses (arboviruses) with particular emphasis on understanding virus-host-vector interactions and developing novel antiviral strategies. Dr. Delang employs an interdisciplinary approach combining molecular virology, drug discovery, and medical entomology to investigate how arboviruses interact with their hosts and vectors, and to develop new concepts for combating mosquito-borne diseases.

Analysis of Dr. Delang's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong research focus on arbovirus transmission dynamics, particularly examining how skin microbiota influences mosquito host-finding behavior and virus transmission. Her work also explores innovative antiviral strategies, including repurposing existing drugs and developing new compounds to inhibit arbovirus replication in both vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors. Key pathogens under investigation include alphaviruses (chikungunya), flaviviruses (Zika, dengue, West Nile, Usutu), with particular attention to transmission mechanisms and vector competence.

• Dubois-Brigué prize for Tropical Pathology from the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine (2023)

Dr. Delang currently leads or co-leads multiple significant research projects including 'Development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs in preparation for pandemics' (2024-2027), 'Classic and Novel Strategies to Combat Alphaviruses' (2023-2027), and 'Impact of skin bacteria on mosquito host finding and mosquito-borne virus infections' (2023-2026). These projects collectively receive substantial funding and involve interdisciplinary collaborations across virology, entomology, and drug discovery.

Based at the Rega Institute's BSL3 facility, Dr. Delang's laboratory maintains specialized mosquito infection capabilities to study arbovirus transmission by various mosquito species. The lab employs cutting-edge techniques to investigate virus-host interactions, antiviral drug efficacy in both vertebrate and vector systems, and the role of microbiota in arbovirus disease dynamics.