Ing. Danielle de Jong
Research:
In September 2018 I started to work in the Near Patient Diagnostics research group (dr. ir. P.L.A.M. Corstjens) where I’m responsible for diagnostic tools for M. leprosy infection discovery. Despite a remarkable decrease in prevalence following the introduction of multidrug therapy, it remains challenging to further reduce transmission. Field-friendly diagnostic tests for early detection of leprosy can make a significant difference in clinical outcome and limit transmission. For leprosy research our group collaborates with Infectious Disease dept. (prof. dr. A Geluk). Current focus is development, production and evaluation of a quantitative point-of-care lateral flow (LF) tests on fingerstick blood for detection of human IgM against M. leprae PGL-I. In the next 4 years, 120.000 test will be applied in endemic villages in Madagascar and the Comoros to study the effect of specific drug administration procedures. The testing will be performed by local staff, and I will be responsible for monitoring test performance. Other activities involve evaluation of diagnostic tools to study cellular responses upon mycobacterial infection.
Curriculum Vitae:
In 2001 I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry at the faculty of Biology and Medical Science and Technology at the Hogeschool Rotterdam. From 2001 until 2004 I was a research technician at the Josephine Nefkens Institute (Erasmus MC Rotterdam, dept. Pathology, section Molecular Biology) working on identification of genes causing tamoxifen-resistance in breast cancer. In 2004 I moved to Clinical Genetics dept. to develop and implement a variety of molecular tests in pre- and postnatal diagnostics. In 2007 I started as research technician at LUMC (dept. MCB, dr. K. Szuhai) analysing genetics of bone and soft tissue tumours. In September 2018 I moved to the Near Patient Diagnostics group (dept. CCB, dr.ir. P.L.A.M. Corstjens).
