Defended Ph.D. theses

2022

Phyllosphere bacteria of greenhouse crops and their use in biocontrol

Defended by: Marie Legein
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: Prof. Dr. Roeland Samson

Investigating microbial therapies to combat gut microbiome dysbiosis during pelvic irradiation

Defended by: Charlotte Segers
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeer
SCK CEN Mentors: dr. Felice Mastroleo and dr. Mieke Verslegers

2021

Analysis of the food safety and microbial ecology of fermented carrot juice

Defended by: Wannes Van Beeck
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer

Evolutionary Genomics of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Defended by: Stijn Wittouck
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer and prof. dr. Vera van Noort

2020

Formulation and process research to safeguard Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG during tablet manufacturing

Defended by: Eline Byl
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Filip Kiekens
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeer

The effect of the microbiome on nasal epithelial barrier function in chronic rhinosinusitis

Defended by: Kathleen Martens
Supervisors: prof. dr. Peter Hellings and prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: dr. Brecht Steelant and dr. Sven Seys

Spray-dried formulation development of novel upper respiratory tract lactobacilli

Defended by: Katarina Jokicevic
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Filip Kiekens
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeer

Identification of health- and disease-associated bacteria for chronic otitis media with effusion through microbiome comparison and in vitro experimentation

Defended by: Jennifer Jörissen
Supervisor: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: prof. dr. Olivier Vanderveken

2019

Study of the upper respiratory tract microbiota and the potential of probiotics for the management of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Defended by: Ilke De Boeck
Supervisor: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: prof. dr. Olivier Vanderveken

The Characterisation Of Lactobacillus Glycoconjugates And Their Interplay With Candida

Defended by: Camille Allonsius
Supervisor: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: prof. dr. ir. Peter Delputte

Optimizing the spray drying of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG as an important step towards the development of successful pharmabiotics

Defended by: Géraldine Broeckx
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Filip Kiekens
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeer

Topical Lactobacillus applications for modulation of the vaginal and skin microbiota

Defended by: Eline Oerlemans
Supervisor: Prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: Prof. Dr. Gilbert Donders

A genome-based view on lactobacilli and their role in the carrot juice fermentation process

Defended by: Sander Wuyts
Supervisors: Prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer and Prof. dr. ir. Luc De Vuyst
Co-supervisors: Prof. dr. ir. Bart Lievens and Prof. dr. Stefan Weckx

2018

Interplay of bacterial endotoxins and transition metals in the inflammatory capacity of airborne particulate matter

Defended by: Serena Moretti
Supervisor: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer

In vitro and in vivo probiotic potential of Lactobacillus spp. for otitis media.

Defended by: Marianne van den Broek
Supervisor: prof. dr. Sarah Lebeer

Recombinant Lactobacillus rhamnosus for allergen-specific immunotherapy in murine models of birch pollen allergic asthma

Defended by: Irina Spacova
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer and prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden
Co-supervisors: prof. dr. Jan Ceuppens and dr. Mariya Petrova

Interactions between phyllosphere bacteria and urban air pollution

Defended by: Wenke Smets
Supervisor: prof. dr. Sarah Lebeer
Co-supervisor: prof. dr. Siegfried Denys

Unraveling the role of lactobacilliin the vaginal barrier function and HSV-2 transmission

Defended by: Elke Lievens
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer and prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden
Co-supervisor: prof. dr. Dominique Schols and dr. Mariya Petrova

2015

The role of pili on Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in the interaction with macrophages and other immune cells

Defended by: Cynthia Vargas García
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer, prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden, and prof. dr. Dominique Bullens

Glycoproteins in probiotic bacteria

Defended by: Hanne Tytgat
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer, prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden, and prof. dr. Joris Winderickx

2014

Molecular analysis of the interaction between the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and intestinal epithelial cells.

Defended by: Marijke Segers
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer and prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden

Molecular study of mannose binding lectin(s) of lactobacilli and their potential as HIV trap.

Defended by: Malik Shweta
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer, prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden, and prof. dr. Jan Balzarini

Nanoscale study of pili from the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

Defended by: Prachi Tripathi
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer, prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden, and Prof. dr. Yves Dufrêne

2013

Molecular and Functional Analyses of Lectins in Lactobacillus Rhamnosus.

Defended by: Mariya Petrova
Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. Sarah Lebeer, prof. dr. ir. Jos Vanderleyden, and prof. dr. Jan Balzarini