Ildiko van Rhijn

Dr. Ildiko van Rhijn is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University. She is affiliated with the Utrecht Molecular Immunology Hub and maintains a secondary appointment as a Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. Her research focuses on unconventional T cells, particularly those recognizing lipid antigens presented by CD1 molecules.

Dr. van Rhijn earned her Ph.D. in Immunology from Utrecht University in 2002, following an M.Sc. in Biology from Free University, Amsterdam (1996) and an M.A. in Music (violin) from Sweelinck Conservatory Amsterdam (1994). She completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School (2002-2004) before joining Utrecht University as an Assistant Professor in 2004.

Her primary research interest centers on CD1-restricted immunity against lipid antigens from pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Unlike conventional peptide recognition, her work explores how T cells recognize non-peptidic antigens presented by CD1 molecules. A key aspect of her research utilizes cattle as a model system since they express a full set of CD1 proteins and are natural hosts for mycobacterial infections, making them ideal for studying CD1-restricted immunity and vaccine development. Her work also includes comparative analyses of CD1 systems in various species including dogs, horses, and pigs.

Analysis of Dr. van Rhijn's recent publications (2020-2025) reveals a continued focus on T cell recognition of lipid antigens, CD1 presentation mechanisms, and applications to tuberculosis research. Her work spans structural biology, chemical synthesis of lipid antigens, and translational immunology, demonstrating how lipid structure influences immunogenicity and T cell recognition. A significant theme is the development of tools like CD1 tetramers to study unconventional T cell responses.

• NWO (Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research) Meervoud subsidy (2009-2014) for 'Unconventional T cells in cattle'
• Wellcome Trust Tropical Research Fellowship (2007-2010) for 'CD1-restricted immunity against mycobacterial infections in cattle'
• Dutch Leprosy Relief grant (2006) for 'CD1-restricted, glycolipid-specific T cells in leprosy'
• American Lung Association research training fellowship (2003-2004)

Dr. van Rhijn's research program involves extensive collaboration with international partners, including Harvard Medical School where she maintains a lecturer position. Her work bridges basic immunology with translational applications, particularly in developing novel vaccine strategies targeting CD1-restricted T cell responses. Current projects focus on understanding how different lipid structures are recognized by T cells and how this knowledge can be applied to vaccine development against mycobacterial infections.