Patrick Van Dijck

Patrick Van Dijck is a Full Professor at the Department of Biology, KU Leuven, specializing in molecular biotechnology of plants and microorganisms. His research focuses on trehalose metabolism in fungal pathogens like Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida auris, exploring its role in stress tolerance, antifungal resistance, and virulence. He also investigates microbial interactions in the vaginal microbiome and GPR1 signaling in fungal pathogenicity.

• Research Highlights:
  • Development of antifungal strategies targeting trehalose pathways
  • Analysis of multidrug resistance evolution in Candida species
  • CRISPR-Cas9 systems for editing challenging pathogens
  • Role of ATO gene family in gastrointestinal tract colonization
• Recent Projects:
  • Identification of antifungal inhibitors for Tps2/Gfa2 enzymes (2025-2027)
  • Validation of antifungal components in biofilm disruption (2025)
  • Central carbon metabolism in Candida pathogenesis (2024-2027)

Publications (2025) span topics from molecular mechanisms of drug resistance to metabolic engineering of yeast. His work intersects with the Leuven One Health Institute, emphasizing fungal-host interactions and One Health approaches.