40 Under 40: Jolieke van Oosterwijk with US Biologic
Jolieke van Oosterwijk is transforming how the world protects itself from infectious disease. She earned a master’s in molecular medicine and a Ph.D. in translational science and oncology in Europe, and then came to Memphis after being recruited to be a postdoctoral research associate at St. Jude. At US Biologic, she leads all development of its platform for antimicrobials and vaccines for animals and humans. This work is innovating an oral delivery platform for vaccines and therapeutics — including a Lyme vaccine for mice, the wildlife reservoir for Lyme disease — which was approved by the USDA last year. Van Oosterwijk is also pioneering development of a chewable vaccine to reduce pandemic influenza. Her overall mission is to “build next-generation vaccines, therapeutics, and delivery systems to rapidly respond to new disease outbreaks.”