prof. dr. Leo Joosten

About Leo Joosten

Leo Joosten is as pathobiologist interested in host defence mechanisms triggered by pathogenic microorganisms that results in chronic inflammation. Current projects explore the role of Toll-like receptors (TLR), Nod like receptors (NLR, and C-type lectin receptors (CLR) in recognition of pathogens, with emphasis on Borrelia burgdorferi. This latter pathogen is the causative agent of Lyme disease. In additional projects the role of the inflammasome and the autophagy machinery in the pathogenesis of Lyme disease is investigated.

Apart from infectious diseases, he is working on metabolic related diseases like diabetes type 2, atherosclerosis and gouty arthritis. The current research projects uses primary cells (e.g. PBMC), murine models of infections, inducible transgenic mice and several gene deficient mice. He is head of the laboratory of experimental medicine and staff member of the department of medicine.