Paul Cos

From the start of his career, Paul Cos has been driven by one question: why do infections persist despite effective treatment? This curiosity, born during his doctoral research in pharmaceutical microbiology at the University of Antwerp, continues to guide his work. As an FWO postdoctoral fellow, he developed clinically relevant infection models that revealed how little conventional assays explain about microbial survival. His focus gradually shifted from resistance to the hidden mechanisms of persistence and tolerance – the silent drivers of treatment failure. Now, as Professor at the University of Antwerp, he leads a multidisciplinary team studying biofilm-related and chronic lung infections. They develop standardized preclinical models, unravel tolerance mechanisms, and translate discoveries into new therapeutic strategies. As Director of Business & Policy at FEMS, he connect scientists, industry, and policymakers.

Tentative Title:

Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis Redox Metabolism: A Challenging Path to Inhibitor Discovery

Pillars Topic/Subtopic:

PILLAR 1: FRONTIERS HEALTH & CLINICAL INNOVATIONS

1.2: Antimicrobials & Resistance

Sub-topic 1.2d: New Antimicrobial Agents and Natural Products: in vitro and in vivo Studies