PhD defense Kiki Streng

On Wednesday the 17th of December Kiki Streng, one of our 26 PhD’s, will defend her PhD thesis titled: ‘From research to preparedness: A study of zoonotic arboviruses in animals, the Netherlands’.

Short description of the thesis of Kiki

Mosquito-borne viruses are an emerging threat. Drivers of emergence, such as changes in climate, land use, travel and trade result in an expansion of geographical range of vectors and virus circulation. The overall objective of this thesis was to provide insight into the epidemiological situation, (response) surveillance options and potential risk of mosquito-borne viruses in animals in the Netherlands, in order to inform future research and surveillance strategies. Seroprevalence studies revealed previously undetected circulation of West Nile virus and Sindbis virus in multiple animal species. An overview of available animal samples for (response) surveillance was created and opportunities and barriers for sharing of these samples were assessed. A mathematical model was used to provide insight into the differences in potential impact of Rift Valley Fever virus in the Netherlands in current and two future scenarios. The thesis highlights the potential approaches for research and surveillance of mosquito-borne viruses in the Netherlands.

Time: 15:30 – 17.00 – The defence will start at 15:30 sharp, so make sure to be there at least 10-15 minutes in advance.
Location: Wageningen University & Research (Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen)
The defence will start at 15:30 sharp, so make sure to be there at least 10-15 minutes in advance.
Livestream: For those who wish to follow the defense but not able to attend, there will be a livestream available. Go to wur.yuja.com and navigate to the “Events” tab at the top left. The livestream link will appear approximately 5 minutes before the defense begins.