About
Introduction
Rik de Swart graduated as biologist from the University of Utrecht in 1990. He obtained his PhD in the field of immunotoxicology of marine mammals in 1995. Subsequently, he became employed as postdoc at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Since 2001 he is a workgroup leader at the Erasmus MC department of Viroscience and the Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine.
Field(s) of expertise
paramyxovirus and pneumovirus immunopathogenesis
Research
The workgroup of Rik de Swart focuses on infections with measles virus, human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), with special emphasis on the interactions between virus and immune system and the identification of correlates of protection or disease. The group has used recombinant paramyxoviruses expressing fluorescent reporter proteins to study viral tropism and pathogenesis in cell and tissue culture and in animal models. These studies have resulted in the identification of the predominant target cells of measles virus infection during the early, intermediate and late stages of the disease. In addition, a new model was developed to explain the mechanism of measles immune suppression. Subsequently, follow-up studies resolved the tropism of a live-attenuated measles virus vaccine.
Publications
Selected publications
- Immunization of macaques with formalin-inactivated respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) induces interleukin-13-associated hypersensitivity to subsequent RSV infection.
De Swart R.L., P.M.E. Wertheim-van Dillen, R.S. Van Binnendijk, C.P. Muller, J. Frenkel and A.D.M.E. Osterhaus. De Swart R.L., T. Kuiken, H.H. Timmerman, G. Van Amerongen, B.G. van den Hoogen, H.W. Vos, H.J. Neijens, A.C. Andeweg and A.D.M.E. Osterhaus.J Virol 76, 11561-11569 (2002).
- Predominant infection of CD150+ lymphocytes and dendritic cells during measles virus infection of macaques. PLoS Pathog.
De Swart R.L., M. Ludlow, L. de Witte, Y. Yanagi, G. van Amerongen, S. McQuaid, S. Yüksel, T.B.H. Geijtenbeek, W.P. Duprex and A.D.M.E. Osterhaus.3:e178 (2007).
- The synthetic bacterial lipopeptide Pam3CSK4 modulates respiratory syncytial virus infection independent of TLR activation. PLoS Pathog 6:e1001049
Nguyen D.T., L. de Witte, M. Ludlow, S. Yüksel, K-H. Wiesmuller, T.B.H. Geijtenbeek, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus and R.L. de Swart. (2010).
- Early target cells of measles virus after aerosol infection of non-human primates
Lemon K., R.D. de Vries, A.W. Mesman, S. McQuaid, G. van Amerongen, S. Yüksel, M. Ludlow, L.J. Rennick, T. Kuiken, B.K. Rima, T.B.H. Geijtenbeek, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus, W.P. Duprex and R.L. de Swart. PLoS Pathog 7: e1001263 (2011).
- Measles immune suppression: lessons from the macaque model.De Vries R.D., S. McQuaid, G. van Amerongen, S. Yüksel, R.J. Verburgh, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus, W.P. Duprex and R.L. de
Swart PLoS Pathog 8:e1002885 (2012).
- Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality.
Mina M.J., C.J.E. Metcalf, R.L. de Swart, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus and B.T. Grenfell.Science 348:694-699 (2015).
- Measles.
Rota P.A., W.J. Moss, M. Takeda, R.L. de Swart, K.M. Thompson and J.L. Goodson.Nat Rev Dis Prim 2:E49 (2016).
- Delineating morbillivirus entry, dissemination and airborne transmission by studying in vivo competition of multicolor canine distemper viruses in ferrets.
De Vries R.D., M. Ludlow, A. de Jong, L.J. Rennick, R.J. Verburgh, G. van Amerongen, D. van Riel, P.R.W.A. van Run, S. Herfst, T. Kuiken, R.A.M. Fouchier, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus, R.L. de Swart* and W.P. Duprex*PLoS Pathog 8; 13(5): e1006371 (2017).
- Needle-free delivery of measles virus vaccine to the lower respiratory tract of non-human primates elicits optimal immunity and protection.
De Swart, R.L., R.D. de Vries, L.J. Rennick, G. van Amerongen, S. McQuaid, R.J. Verburgh, S. Yüksel, A. de Jong, K. Lemon, D.T. Nguyen, M. Ludlow, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus and W.P. Duprex NPJ Vaccines 2: 22 (2017).
Teaching activities
Rik de Swart has supervised a large number of undergraduate and graduate students. Since 2014 he is one of the core teachers of the Research Master's program "Infection and Immunity" of the Erasmus MC Postgraduate School Molecular Medicine.
Other positions
He is also a member of the NWO "deelwerkgemeenschap vaccins", which organizes a national vaccine symposium in Utrecht once every year. Finally, he is coordinator of the World Health Organization National Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella. Finally, Rik de Swart is member of the editorial board of Vaccine (Council of 100) and Virus Research.
