Personal profile
Research expertise
Prof Liselotte Hardy is the head of the Unit of Tropical Bacteriology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. Liselotte is a biomedical scientist specialized in bacterial diagnostics. After a few years working in clinical studies for the pharmaceutical industry, she moved to ITM’s department of public health coordinating projects on vaginal health in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Inspired by this, she did her PhD-research at ITM’s Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections led by Tania Crucitti, on characterising the bacterial biofilm in bacterial vaginosis. After her PhD, Liselotte worked at the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University for a few years. Here she co-developed a lab-on-chip platform to diagnose infectious diseases, leading to the spin-off company Antelope Dx. Just before Antelope Dx’s incorporation, Liselotte moved back to ITM to the Unit of Tropical Bacteriology of Jan Jacobs. In the past decade, she has set up its research line on “development and implementation of adapted diagnostics for resource-limited settings”. From September 2024 on, she is heading the unit as professor Tropical Bacteriology. Her research focus is on field-appropriate bacterial diagnostics and local production of culture media building on the unit’s longstanding work on AMR surveillance.
Teaching expertise
Supervision of master theses:
- 2022-2023: Jens Cornelis, Msc in Electrical Engineering Ghent University - Development of an optical/electronic system for rapid detection of bacterial infection
- 2021-2022: Charlien Hupco, Msc in Medical Sciences KU Leuven - Optimisation of a simplified blood culture system to improve healthcare in low-resource settings
Services expertise
- Member of ITM PhD committee
- Faculty member of McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health (course on Global Diagnostics)
- Teaching in ITM courses: SORT-it course and Master of Tropical Medicine
- Expert consultant for WHO Prequalification of Diagnostics and WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on In Vitro Diagnostics
Education/Academic qualification
Medical sciences, PhD, Ghent University
Award Date: 14-Oct-2016
Biomedical Sciences, Master, Ghent University
Award Date: 1-Oct-2006
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Molecular investigation of ß-lactamase producing Enterobacterales towards improving diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infections in tertiary hospitals in Rwanda.
Igizeneza, A. (PhD Student), Hardy, L. (Promotor), Ngabonziza, J. C. S. (Promotor) & Wertheim, H. (Promotor)
1/01/26 → …
Project: PhD-project
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ENERGISE: nExt-geNEration snelle fenotypische bacteRioloGIsche diagnoStiek voor afgElegen gebieden en lage inkomenslanden
Hardy, L. (PI) & Hardy, L. (Promotor)
1/01/24 → 31/12/26
Project: Research Project
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Methods for Detection and Identification of Bacterial Species in Blood Cultures based on Optical Turbidimetry and AI for use in Limited-Resource Settings
Cornelis, J. (PhD Student), Jacobs, J. (Promotor), Hardy, L. (Promotor) & Li, Y. (Promotor)
12/12/23 → …
Project: PhD-project
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Vacc-iNTS: Advancing a GMMA-based vaccine against invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis through Phase I trial in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa
Hardy, L. (PI) & Hardy, L. (Promotor)
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
1/10/19 → 31/07/26
Project: Research Project
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KLEBECO: WGS invasive K. pneumoniae and E. coli isolates from neonates in Benin
Hardy, L. (PI) & Hardy, L. (Promotor)
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
13/02/24 → 30/11/25
Project: Research Project
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Efficacy of susceptibility-matched antibiotic treatment of nontyphoidal Salmonella bloodstream infections: a prospective observational study in hospitalized children under 5 in the Democratic of Congo
Tack, B., Vita, D., Mbuyamba, J., Nketo, J., Ntangu, E., Phoba, M.-F., Luyindula, A., Nkoji, G., Vuvu, H., Heroes, A.-S., Im, J., Tadesse, B. T., Siribie, M., Jeon, H., Marks, F., Hardy, L., Allegaert, K., Vlieghe, E., Toelen, J. & Jacobs, J. & 1 others, , Apr-2026, In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 32, 4, p. 593-602 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Epidemiology, Temporal Trends and Resistance Patterns of ESBL-Producing Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Isolated from Blood Cultures in Kisantu, DRC (2019-2022)
Mbuyamba, J., Nkoji-Tunda, G., Vita, D., Ngara, L., Bonebe, E., Phoba, M.-F., Heroes, A.-S., Siribie, M., Tilahun Tadesse, B., Mbaa, G.-N., Marks, F., Hardy, L., Jacobs, J., Mbuyi-Kalonji, L. & Lunguya, O., 6-Mar-2026, In: Antibiotics-Basel. 15, 3, 14 p., 271.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Performance evaluation of the BactInsight simplified blood culture system developed for resource-limited settings using a simulated test design
Barbé, B., Cornelis, J., Ghomashi, M., Corsmit, E., Genbrugge, E., Marchesin, F., Li, Y., Baets, R., Jacobs, J. & Hardy, L., 22-Jan-2026, In: Scientific Reports. 16, 1, p. 6004Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review
Open Access -
Revisiting bacteriology diagnostics: how to make them globally available and accessible
Hardy, L., Jacobs, J., Yansouni, C. & Affolabi, D., Oct-2025, In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 31, 10, p. 1615-1617 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
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The cost of blood cultures: a barrier to diagnosis in low-income and middle-income countries
Hyland, P., Jacobs, J. & Hardy, L., Aug-2025, In: Lancet Microbe. 6, 8, 2 p., 101125.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
Open Access