prof. dr. J.W.A. (John) Rossen
Research interests
Prof. dr. John W. A. Rossen is Professor of
Medical Microbiology at the University of Groningen / University
Medical Center Groningen, within the Department of Medical
Microbiology and Infection Prevention, and Medical Head of
Innovation & Science at Isala Hospital. He holds a PhD in
Molecular Virology and Cell Biology (Coronavirus infections of
Polarized Epithelial Cells, Utrecht University, 1996) and has
co-authored ~250 peer-reviewed publications.
His research is carried out within the group Antimicrobial
Resistance, Genomics, and Epidemiology (AGE) — a team of PIs,
PhD students, and technicians working across three connected lines
under a One Health approach. The A-line (Antimicrobial Resistance
& Infectious Diseases) addresses AMR and antimicrobial
stewardship, infection prevention and control, and the built
environment; the G-line (Genomics & Transcriptomics) covers
rapid and molecular diagnostics, sequencing, patho-/genotyping, and
AI/ML interpretation; and the E-line (Epidemiology & Data
Science) spans clinical and field epidemiology, surveillance and
modelling, and pandemic preparedness.
His own work sits mainly in the G-line; as part of the group's
coordinating team, he helps connect the three lines around their
shared themes. Combining advanced molecular tools with artificial
intelligence and machine learning, the group studies the dynamics
of antimicrobial resistance and emerging pathogens across human,
animal, and environmental domains, mapping transmission pathways
and building predictive models of resistance emergence, disease
outcomes, and outbreak potential. Together, this work supports
antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, and
evidence-based public health policy, from the region to LMIC
settings.
Much of his work centres on people and partnerships. He has
supervised 26 PhD students and, with colleagues, contributes to
national and international training — among others through
the Concilium Medical Molecular Microbiology of the NVMM. His roles
reflect this collaborative focus: earlier as Director of R&D at
IDbyDNA (USA) and through roles in several ESCMID study groups, and
currently as Scientific Lead of the €7M Horizon Europe
project DRAIGON, Member of the ESCMID Global Program Committee,
Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine,
Project Coordinator for the UMCG–Isala partnership, and
active on academic freedom for the RUG (via Universiteiten van
Nederland, UNL).
