Leen Rigouts

Leen Rigouts is a Professor of Tropical Infectious Diseases at the University of Antwerp (UA) since 2008. She leads research in Mycobacteriology, focusing on tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology, drug resistance, and zoonotic aspects of TB. Her work emphasizes molecular tools, diagnostic advancements, and global health initiatives. She manages the BCCM/ITM mycobacterial culture collection and chairs scientific committees like BELTA-TBnet.

Education: PhD in Biological Sciences (Ghent University, 2000), Postgraduate in Tropical Medicine (ITM, 1988), Master's in Biological Sciences (Ghent University, 1987).

Research Interests: Molecular epidemiology of TB reinfection/reactivation, drug resistance mechanisms, and global health strategies to combat TB. Collaborations span Bangladesh, Cambodia, Georgia, Ethiopia, and Peru, with a focus on drug resistance in MDR-TB.

Projects: Includes the THREE-G project on drug-resistant TB evolution, TIFA DRC for TB control in the DRC, and FA5 Rwanda to strengthen infectious disease management. Recent work addresses bedaquiline resistance and rapid diagnostic methods.

Grants & Awards: Not explicitly listed, but her projects are funded by agencies like USAID, Flanders Research Fund, and Belgian Science Policy Office.

Labs/Teams: Heads the Unit of Mycobacteriology at ITM, leading ISO15189-accredited labs and biosafety guideline development. Manages the BCCM/ITM culture collection, a key resource for global research.