Prof. Dr. Guus Rimmelzwaan participates in RESIST research project B7.

My Research Interest in RESIST

Our research focusses on obtaining a better understanding and define biomarkers of the phenomenon of immuno-senescence during ageing. Because of immuno-senescence, which is defined as a state of reduced functioning of the immune system, older adults become more susceptible to infections like those caused by influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Therefore, older adults are at higher risk for these infections and vaccination against some of these infections is recommended for this age group.

However, because of immuno-senescence, older adults may not respond as well compared to younger subjects and one of the aims of our research is to develop strategies to temporarily overcome immuno-senescence to improve vaccine-induced immune responses in elderly subjects.  Potentially, this may also apply for the use of future vaccines that are currently being developed against COVID-19, which is more severe and often fatal in older adults.  

Contact

Prof. Rimmelzwaan about his scientific work

Prof. Dr. Guus Rimmelzwaan – Curriculum Vitae

Current Position

  • Since 2018 Alexander von Humboldt Professor in Virology, Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (RIZ), University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training

  • 1978 – 1985 Faculty of Biology, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

  • 1981 Biology Bachelor

  • 1985 Biology Doctorate (M.Sc. Medical biology, cum laude)

  • 1990 Doctoral Thesis (Ph.D.), Veterinary Faculty, University of Utrecht, the Netherlands. 

Academic and Research Posts

  • 1985 – 1990 PhD student, Dpt. of Immunobiology, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands

  • 1990 – 1991 Post-Doctoral fellow, Dpt. of Immunobiology, RIVM, Bilthoven, the Netherlands. 

  • Mar – Apr 1991 Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
    Bethesda, USA

  • 1992 – 1994 Post-Doctoral fellow, Dpt. of Retrovirology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam

  • 1992 – 1993 Virus Biology Section, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA

  • 1994 – 2002 Assistant professor, Dpt. of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam

  • 2002 – 2017 Unit-head Research, Dpt. of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam

  • 2008 – 2009 Associate professor, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam

  • 2009 – 2017 Professor, Chair Immuno-virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam

  • Since 2018 Alexander von Humboldt Professor in Virology, RIZ, TiHo, Hannover

Other Scientific Roles

  • Reviewer for all major journals

  • Associate editor PloS Pathogens

  • Editorial board member of: Vaccine, Nature Partner Journal Vaccine, Expert Review of Vaccines

  • Guest editor Current Opinion of Virology

  • 1999 – 2002 Dutch Health Council, committee on influenza vaccination

  • 2002 – 2006 Expert committee on influenza vaccination, CVZ, The Netherlands

  • 2007 – 2017 Expert committee National Program on the prevention of flu, The Netherlands

  • 2009 – 2016 Senior Consultant, Viroclinics Biosciences BV, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

  • 2014 – 2018 Scientific Advisory Board of the Jebsen Centre for Influenza Vaccine Research, Norway

  • Since 2015 Scientific Advisory Board of the National Institute for Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections at Imperial College, London

Teaching Activities

  • Organizer of the Postgraduate Course in Virology, Rotterdam, in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016

  • Organizer of the ESWI practical training course influenza, Rotterdam in 2005, 2007 and 2009

  • 2011 – 2017 Educational committee of the Postgraduate school Molecular Medicine

  • Program committee Research Master “Infection and Immunity”

Recommended Links

For further information about Prof. Rimmelzwaan’s scientific work please check the following links:

10 Selected Publications

Smith DJ, Lapedes AS, Bestebroer TM, de Jong JC, Rimmelzwaan GF, Osterhaus ADME and Fouchier RAM. Mapping the antigenic and genetic evolution of influenza virus. Science 305(5682):371-6 (2004) IF:41.1

Geurts van Kessel CH, Willart M, van Rijt LS, Kool M, Baas C, Thielemans K, Hoogsteden HC, Osterhaus ADME, Rimmelzwaan GF and Lambrecht BN. Clearance of influenza virus from the lung depends on migratory langerin+CD11b- but not plasmacytoid dendritic cells. J. Exp. Med. 205(7):1621-1634 (2008) IF:10.8

Koel BF, Burke DF, Bestebroer TM, van der Vliet S, Zondag GC, Vervaet G, Skepner E, Lewis NS, Spronken MI, Russell CA, Eropkin MY, Hurt AC, Barr IG, de Jong JC, Rimmelzwaan GF, Osterhaus AD, Fouchier RA, Smith DJ. Substitutions near the receptor binding site determine major antigenic change during influenza virus evolution. Science 342(6161):976-9 (2013) IF: 41.1

Kreijtz JHCM, Goeijenbier M, Moesker F, van den Dries L, Goeijenbier S, de Gruyter H, de Mutsert G, van de Vijver DAMC, Lehmann M, van Gorp ECM, Rimmelzwaan GF, Sutter G and Osterhaus ADME. Randomised phase I/IIa clinical trial demonstrates safety and immunogenicity of an MVAbased influenza A/H5N1 vaccine in healthy adults. Lancet. Infect. Dis. 14(12):1196-1207 (2014) IF: 25.1

Geurts van Kessel CH, Willart MAM, van Rijt LS, Bergen IM, Muskens F, Osterhaus ADME, Hendriks R, Rimmelzwaan GF and Lambrecht BN. Dendritic cells are crucial for maintenance of tertiary lymphoid structures in the lung of influenza virus-infected mice. J. Exp. Med. 206(11):2339-2349 (2009) IF: 10.8

Van de Sandt CE, Hillaire MLB, Geelhoed-Mieras MM, Osterhaus ADME, Fouchier RAM and Rimmelzwaan GF. Human influenza virus specific CD8+ T cell immunity is long-lived. J. Infect. Dis. 212:81-85 (2015) IF: 5.2

van de Sandt CE, Kreijtz JHCM, Geelhoed-Mieras MM, Nieuwkoop NJ, Spronken MI, van de Vijver DAMC, Fouchier RAM, Osterhaus ADME and Rimmelzwaan GF. Differential recognition of influenza A viruses by M158-66 epitope-specific CD8+ T cells is determined by extra-epitopic amino acid residues. J. Virol. 90(2):1009-22 (2016) IF: 4.4

Altenburg AF, van de Sandt CE, van Trierum SE, De Gruyter HL, van Run PR, Fouchier RA, Roose K, Saelens X, Volz A, Sutter G, de Vries RD, Rimmelzwaan GF. Increased Protein Degradation Improves Influenza Virus Nucleoprotein-specific CD8+ T cell Activation in vitro but not in C57BL/6 mice. J. Virol. 90(22):10209-10219 (2016) IF: 4.4

van de Sandt CE, Pronk MR, van Baalen CA, Fouchier RAM, Rimmelzwaan GF. Variation at extra-epitopic amino acid residues influences suppression of influenza virus replication by M158-66 epitope-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes. J Virol 92(11). pii: e00232-18 (2018) IF: 4.4 

de Vries RD, Altenburg AF, Nieuwkoop NJ, de Bruin E, van Trierum SE, Pronk MR, Lamers MM, Richard M, Nieuwenhuijse DF, Koopmans MPG, Kreijtz JHCM, Fouchier RAM, Osterhaus ADME, Sutter G, Rimmelzwaan GF. Induction of Cross-Clade Antibody and T-Cell Responses by an MVABased Influenza H5N1 Vaccine in a Randomized Phase I/IIa Clinical Trial. J. Inf. Dis. 218(4):614-623 (2018) IF: 5.2

Contact

  Prof. Dr. Guus Rimmelzwaan
  Research group Rimmelzwaan, Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (TiHo)
  Bünteweg 17
30559 Hannover
  +49 511 953 – 6114
  Guus.Rimmelzwaan@tiho-hannover.de