Dr. L.J. (Linda) Wammes, MD, PhD

After obtaining my MSc in Biomedical Sciences (2005) and MD (2007), both at LUMC Leiden, my PhD was a coproduction of LUMC and University of Indonesia, where I spent 4 years alternately in Leiden, Jakarta and Flores island (east Indonesia), resulting in a PhD on parasite immunology in 2013. Following my specialist training in Medical Microbiology at Erasmus MC Rotterdam (2013-2019), in 2019 I joined the Medical Microbiology staff at LUMC to coordinate the clinical parasitology (diagnostics and consultations) and the establishment of the LUMC Expert Center for Imported and Travel-Related Infections (CITRI). I am involved in education of (bio)medical students of the LUMC as well as several (post-doctoral) professionals.
Outside of LUMC I am involved in national activities concerning parasitology and enjoy being an editor of several journals.

After my PhD on parasite immunology, my research currently focuses on specialized diagnostics for imported helminth infections (schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis) and contributing factors to vaccine hyporesponsiveness in areas where (new) vaccines are needed most.
In more recent developments, we were awarded an EDCTP grant in a multicenter team on comparing COVID-19 disease in three African countries and I am involved in initiatives for collaboration with the LUMC Public Health department and more specifically the population health management division, to study disease (outcome) in the diverse populations of Leiden and The Hague.