Prof. dr. John W. A. Rossen is Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Groningen / University Medical Center Groningen, within the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, and Medical Head of Innovation & Science at Isala Hospital. He holds a PhD in Molecular Virology and Cell Biology (Coronavirus infections of Polarized Epithelial Cells, Utrecht University, 1996) and has co-authored ~250 peer-reviewed publications.

His research is carried out within the group Antimicrobial Resistance, Genomics, and Epidemiology (AGE) — a team of PIs, PhD students, and technicians working across three connected lines under a One Health approach. The A-line (Antimicrobial Resistance & Infectious Diseases) addresses AMR and antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, and the built environment; the G-line (Genomics & Transcriptomics) covers rapid and molecular diagnostics, sequencing, patho-/genotyping, and AI/ML interpretation; and the E-line (Epidemiology & Data Science) spans clinical and field epidemiology, surveillance and modelling, and pandemic preparedness.

His own work sits mainly in the G-line; as part of the group's coordinating team, he helps connect the three lines around their shared themes. Combining advanced molecular tools with artificial intelligence and machine learning, the group studies the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance and emerging pathogens across human, animal, and environmental domains, mapping transmission pathways and building predictive models of resistance emergence, disease outcomes, and outbreak potential. Together, this work supports antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, and evidence-based public health policy, from the region to LMIC settings.

Much of his work centres on people and partnerships. He has supervised 26 PhD students and, with colleagues, contributes to national and international training — among others through the Concilium Medical Molecular Microbiology of the NVMM. His roles reflect this collaborative focus: earlier as Director of R&D at IDbyDNA (USA) and through roles in several ESCMID study groups, and currently as Scientific Lead of the €7M Horizon Europe project DRAIGON, Member of the ESCMID Global Program Committee, Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Project Coordinator for the UMCG–Isala partnership, and active on academic freedom for the RUG (via Universiteiten van Nederland, UNL).