Dr. Hans STEENACKERS is an Associate Professor at Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU- Leuven, Belgium and the head on the MICA Lab, Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics (CMPG). His research focuses on fundamental aspects of microbiology
and their biotechnological applications. He is active in diverse fields including microbial evolution and ecology, beneficial and pathogenic microbe-host interactions, antimicrobials and biofilms. His main topics are: Innovative antimicrobials, Microbial community behaviour, Social interactions in microbial communities, Resistance evolution in Microbial communities, in situ monitoring of microbial communities. He is member of more than 30 recent research projects as promotor and 13 projets as co-promotor, focused on microbial interactions in biofilms (in vitro and in vivo), probiotics and antimicrobials. He is participating in the following multi-partner projects: Bisceps (FWO SBO), Baratom (VLAIO LA-trajectory), Epiresist (FWO project), Defensico (KU Leuven C2), Clean-coat (KU Leuven C3), Bioclean (H2020 MSCA ITN), and the Flemish Scientific Research Network on biofilms (FWO WOG) and has participated in several recently finished projects. He authored and co-authored more than 64 publications, with an h-index of 22. In addition, he takes part in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students with lectures and practical courses in biochemistry, molecular biotechnology, nanobiology, cellular and genetic engineering.