Barry Rockx appointed to special chair in emerging viral diseases in animals

Since the beginning of his career, Rockx has been fascinated by the impact viruses can have on animals, people and society. “I find it fascinating that something as small as a virus can have such a major impact on an individual and on society as a whole.”

His research focuses on emerging viruses: viruses that newly appear or spread further and may sometimes cross over to humans. Recent examples from the past few weeks include the increase in West Nile virus infections in horses and the introduction of the Shamonda virus in cattle. Most emerging viruses in human populations originate in animals. Detecting these viruses early and preventing or limiting outbreaks requires knowledge of human and animal hosts, as well as well as vectors such as mosquitoes, biting midges and ticks. This integrated perspective is at the heart of the One Health approach to his research.

Rockx studies how viruses in livestock and wildlife cause disease, spread and potentially cross over to humans. His research includes vector-borne viruses such as Rift Valley fever virus, bluetongue virus, West Nile virus and tick-borne encephalitis virus.

Good laboratory models are essential for understanding how a virus behaves. However, many models currently in use do not fully reproduce the complex physiological environment found in a living animal or human. As a result, they may not accurately reflect how a host responds to infection.

Rockx therefore develops three-dimensional models of structures such as blood vessels and the placental barrier. “By recreating physiologically relevant models of these structures in the laboratory, we can better understand how viruses interact with their animal and human hosts,” Rockx says.

The results are used in transmission modelling and risk assessments. This allows researchers to better predict how a virus may spread and to evaluate the potential impact of different intervention strategies. Such knowledge can help identify risks earlier and support targeted action before an outbreak escalates.

Through his appointment, Rockx will connect the fundamental virus research of the Laboratory of Virology with the applied veterinary research of Wageningen Bioveterinary Research. The special chair will form a bridge between fundamental virology and applied veterinary science.

“My aim is to help build a world in which outbreaks of emerging veterinary viruses no longer take us by surprise. By advancing fundamental knowledge, fostering collaboration and developing new research approaches, we can better predict risks and take timely, targeted action before an outbreak develops into a larger problem.”

Rockx obtained his PhD from Utrecht University in 2004, studying susceptibility to norovirus and antibody responses. He then spent almost a decade at several research institutions in the United States.

At the University of North Carolina, the Rocky Mountain Laboratories of the US National Institutes of Health and the University of Texas Medical Branch, he studied the evolution and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV, influenza viruses, henipaviruses and filoviruses. He also worked on vaccine development using a range of experimental cell and animal models, including under biosafety level 4 conditions.

Rockx returned to the Netherlands in 2014. At the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), he headed the department responsible for the surveillance and diagnostics of rare and emerging viral infections. He later led the Exotic Viruses workgroup at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, where he investigated how emerging zoonotic viruses spread through the body, which cells and tissues they infect, and how the host responds.

Since 2022, Rockx has worked as a senior scientist and project leader at Wageningen Bioveterinary Research. In his new position, he will bring together his experience in fundamental virology, experimental models and applied veterinary research to strengthen preparedness and response to emerging virus outbreaks.