Clinical microbiologist
Dr. M T. (Martha) van der Beek
Area(s) of expertise:
Medical Microbiology, Bacteriology, Mycology
Medical Microbiology, Bacteriology, Mycology
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Introduction
I am a clinical microbiologist with a special interest in fungal infections and neonatal infections. I have studied medicine and biomedical sciences at the Leiden University and performed my training as a clinical microbiologist at the LUMC.
I am coordinator of the training of the residents in Medical Microbiology at the LUMC and also the secretary of the national Concilium Medicum Microbiologicum (NVMM). I find it interesting and challenging to continuously adapt our medical specialization to developments in society and in medicine, both on a local and on a national level.
Contributing to performing optimal diagnostics and optimal antibiotic policy making in complex patient populations such as premature neonates and immunocompromised patients with fungal infections are my goals. I do this by performing research and by coordinating fungal diagnostics in the laboratory and by participating in the LUMC antibiotic committee and in national guideline development on these topics.
I am coordinator of the training of the residents in Medical Microbiology at the LUMC and also the secretary of the national Concilium Medicum Microbiologicum (NVMM). I find it interesting and challenging to continuously adapt our medical specialization to developments in society and in medicine, both on a local and on a national level.
Contributing to performing optimal diagnostics and optimal antibiotic policy making in complex patient populations such as premature neonates and immunocompromised patients with fungal infections are my goals. I do this by performing research and by coordinating fungal diagnostics in the laboratory and by participating in the LUMC antibiotic committee and in national guideline development on these topics.
Scientific research
Neonatal infections are rare but life threatening and hence the cause of broad application of antibiotics, especially to premature neonates. With the neonatal intensive care, we aim to improve sepsis/meningitis diagnostics using molecular applications and clinical prediction models directed at better recognition of patients at risk of sepsis. Improving antibiotic stewardship in the neonatal intensive care unit is important to optimize the risk-benefit ratio of empirical antibiotic therapy.
Fungal infections occur mainly in patients with underlying diseases, such as severe viral respiratory tracts infections. The spectrum of disease is continuously changing which warrants continuous surveillance to guide preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. Using a ZonMW grant we aim to study AI supported surveillance as a tool, in collaboration with LUCID/LUMC colleagues, other Dutch hospitals and RIVM. Optimizing fungal diagnostics using molecular diagnostics is also a subject of study.
Fungal infections occur mainly in patients with underlying diseases, such as severe viral respiratory tracts infections. The spectrum of disease is continuously changing which warrants continuous surveillance to guide preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. Using a ZonMW grant we aim to study AI supported surveillance as a tool, in collaboration with LUCID/LUMC colleagues, other Dutch hospitals and RIVM. Optimizing fungal diagnostics using molecular diagnostics is also a subject of study.
