Henk Schallig

Dr Henk Schallig, Senior Scientist at the Department of Medical Microbiology – Parasitology Unit of the Academic Medical Centre of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Henk leads the Experimental Parasitology group (Department of Medical Microbiology) of the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, whose focus is on the development, evaluation and implementation of innovative diagnostic tools and strategies for parasitic diseases. Translating high-tech diagnostics towards more field applicable and near patient tools is a top priority of the group.

They also study emerging drug resistance, perform drug efficacy studies and lead compound identification. The main diseases within their purview are malaria, Leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and cryptosporidiosis, but in principle the group covers all aspects of parasitology and parasites. Of particular attention is mother and child health (for example malaria in pregnancy). Currently the group is expanding their research focus towards the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated fevers, which are emerging as a consequence of declining malaria prevalence. In this field, they also work towards the containment of emerging drug resistance that is caused by over prescription of antibiotics and antimalarials due to inappropriate diagnostic and treatment procedures.