Patrick Suykerbuyk
Patrick Suykerbuyk is completing his doctoral thesis at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITMA) and the University of Antwerp (UA). He has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and a B.S. & M.S. in Biomedical Sciences, but he is a disease ecologist and field worker pur sang. For his PhD, Patrick is exploring the disease ecology of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causal agent of a neglected tropical skin infection, currently known as Buruli ulcer disease. Since 2002 he has conducted several field studies in remote areas in Benin (West Africa) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Central Africa). Beside his field and lab research activities, Patrick spends a lot of time in capacity building in the South. Furthermore, he teaches part-time biology and chemistry at a secondary school since 2010. In his spare time, he is an active rugby player/fanatic and enjoys the company of his wife and 15 month old son.