Dr. M T. (Martha) van der Beek, MD

I am a clinical microbiologist with a special interest in fungal infections. Contributing to performing optimal diagnostics and optimal antibiotic policy making in complex patient populations such as 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.

Fungal infections occur mainly in patients with underlying diseases, such as leukemia, chronic pulmonary diseases and severe viral respiratory tracts infections. The spectrum of disease is continuously changing which warrants continuous surveillance to guide preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. We are studying the optimal use of diagnostics and antifungal therapy within LUMC's Infection theme, together with the treating medical specialists of these patients.

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 innovative molecular diagnostics is also a subject of study.