PhD student
Merel Wilmsen
Research
The overarching topic of my PhD research is urinary tract infection (UTI), including both cystitis among women and prostatitis among men.
UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections globally, and their management – commonly antibiotic treatment – heavily contributes to the continuous rise in antimicrobial resistance, which is a great treat to public health. My PhD has a strong focus on UTI prevention and optimal treatment duration, with the aim of both supporting a shift towards alternative – or shorter – treatments to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, and improving knowledge, infection rates, and outcomes of individual patients.
Curriculum Vitae
Work experience:
- PhD Candidate, Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Infectious Diseases | September 2024 – Present
- Board member of the LUMC Association of PhD Candidates
- Research Internship, Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Infectious Diseases | February 2024 – June 2024
- Research Technician, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Department of Immunology | July 2020 – July 2023
- Research on the inclusion of novel immunostimulants in a cancer vaccine to induce robust CD8 responses
- Research Internship, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Department of Immunology | September 2019 – June 2020
- Thesis on: New Vaccine Strategy to Improve Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy
Education:
- Master Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam | September 2023 – July 2024
- Infectious Diseases and Public Health track
- Pre-master Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam | September 2022 – July 2023
- Bachelor Chemistry with a major in Life Sciences, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen | September 2016 – June 2020
- Minors Infectious Diseases and Biopharmaceutical Research
- VWO, S.S.G. De Rede, Terneuzen | September 2010 – July 2016
Publications
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Identifying and addressing UTI prevention barriers in primary care: a qualitative study.
Wilmsen MEP, van Gestel LC, Sijbom M, Koucher A, Aantjes MJ, van Bodegom-Vos L, Vos RC, Bonten TN, Adriaanse MA, Geerlings SE, Visser LG and Lambregts MMC.
BJGP Open 12 December 2025; DOI: 10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0230
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Evidence for antibiotic durations in chronic bacterial prostatitis: A systematic review
Cordes Lourenço L, Wilmsen M, Calin R, Gupta K, Lafaurie M, Lavergne V, Trautner BW, van Nieuwkoop C, Kuiper S, Lambregts MMC, Huttner A.
CMI Communications Volume 3, Issue 1, March 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmicom.2025.105156
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TLR9 plus STING Agonist Adjuvant Combination Induces Potent Neopeptide T Cell Immunity and Improves Immune Checkpoint Blockade Efficacy in a Tumor Model.
Castro Eiro MD, Hioki K, Li L, Wilmsen MEP, Kiernan CH, Brouwers-Haspels I, van Meurs M, Zhao M, de Wit H, Grashof DGB, van de Werken HJG, Mueller YM, Schliehe C, Temizoz B, Kobiyama K, Ishii KJ, Katsikis PD.
The Journal of Immunology, Volume 212, Issue 3, February 2024, Pages 455–465, DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300038
Groups:
