Dr. W.H.F. (Wil) Goessens

My research of the last 5 years focusses on studying the interaction of different mechanisms of resistance especially the effect of efflux pumps and/or porin loss on the mutation frequency for chromosomal or plasmid encoded β-lactamases in K. pneumoniae and E. coli. In addition, the characterization of mechanisms of resistance as well as the epidemiology of multi-resistant clinically relevant organisms such as E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa is performed for organisms isolated in the Netherlands or organisms obtained via colleague researchers from other countries. Also, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters are studied for the in vivo selection of resistance during antimicrobial therapy.
Further we are developing/optimizing in collaboration with Dr. T. Luider (Neurology Dept.) a High Resolution Mass Spectrometry assay to determine the presence of different mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli and K. pneumoniae in order to reduce the turn-around-time of the susceptibility testing of microorganisms.

• Medical Microbiology
• Antimicrobial resistance and susceptibility testing
• Serology

Wil Goessens graduated in Biology at the University of Utrecht in 1980. He obtained his PhD in 1986 at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam by characterization of the mechanism of reduced susceptibility of S. aureus for penicillins. Then switched to a post doc position at the Biochemistry Department of the University of Leiden. Since 1988 he is senior staff member, Medical Microbiologist at the Dept. of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Selected publications
W.B. van Leeuwen, C. van Pelt, A. Luijendijk, H.A. Verbrugh and W.H.F. Goessens. 1999. Rapid detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolates by the MRSA-Screen latex agglutination test. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 3029-3030.

P. Gruteke, W.H.F. Goessens, J. van Gils, Paul Peerbooms, N. Lemmens-den Toom, M. van Santen-Verheuvel, A. van Belkum and H.A. Verbrugh. 2003. Patterns of resistance associated with integrons, the extended-spectrum ß-lactamase SHV-5 gene, and a multidrug efflux pump of Klebsiella pneumoniae causing a nosocomial outbreak. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 1161-1166.

W.H.F. Goessens, J.W. Mouton, M.T. ten Kate, S. Voermans, A.J. Bijl, J. Laurijssens, A. Ott and A.J.M. Bakker-Woudenberg. 2007. Role of ceftazidime dose regimen on the selection of resistant Enterobacter cloacae in the intestinal flora of rats treated for an experimental pulmonary infection. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 59:507-516.

A.K. van der Bij, D. Van der Zwan, G. Peirano, B. Diederen, J. De Vries, M. Wolfhagen, P. Godschalk, A. Ott, J. Severin, R. Bosboom, M. Kolader, A. Van der Zee, E. Heddema, R. Vreede, K. Veldkamp, J. Pitout, M. Van westreenen and W.H.F. Goessens. 2012. Metallo-β-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Netherlands: evidence for nationwide clonal spread. Clin. Microb Infection 18:369-372.

W.H.F. Goessens, A.K. van der Bij, R. van Boxtel, J.D.D. Pitout, P. van Ulsen, D.C. Melles and J. Tommassen. 2013. Antibiotic trapping by plasmid-encoded CMY-2 β-lactamase combined with reduced outer-membrane permeability as a mechanism of carbapenem resistance in Escherichia coli. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 57:3941-3949.

Wil Goessens is involved in teaching of masters students of the Infection& Immunity program and teaches also at the Hogeschool Utrecht and Hogeschool Leiden. Further, I am involved in the teaching of resident Paediatricians during a two-day course and also organize and give several lectures in the course “Antimicrobial resistance” for residents Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Received several grants from pharmaceutical companies as well as funding from ZonMw and Eurostar and several Horizon 2020 programs.