Dr. Thomas Van Boeckel

Lecturer at the Department of Environmental Systems Science

ETH Zürich

Theoretische Biologie, Bonhoeffer

CHN H 72

Universitätstrasse 16

8092 Zürich

Switzerland

Work +41 44 632 32 19
V-Card (vcf, 1kb)

Additional information

Research area

Antimicrobial Resistance, Disease Mapping, Spatial Epidemiology, Livestock Production Systems.

Personal Website:

https://thomasvanboeckel.wixsite.com/hegep

Brief CV

ETH Zurich, SNF Assistant Professor 2019 - present

ETH Zurich, Postdoctoral Fellow 2015 - 2019

Princeton, Fulbright Research Fellow 2013 - 2015

Free University of Brussels, PhD, 2009 - 2013

Oxford, Visiting Academic 2009

CV PDF

Honours

Year	Distinction
2013	Fulbright Award

Additional information

Background

Antibiotics were first introduced in human medicine in the 1940s and have contributed to substantially reduce the burden of infectious diseases. However, antimicrobial resistance –the ability of microbes to evolve and resist treatment– is rising globally and is already serious public health problem. The spread of bacteria resistant to last-resort drugs portends a post-antibiotic era where common pathogens could once again lead to deadly infections (700,000 deaths/year). This crisis is fueled by the overconsumption of those drugs in humans, but also in animals. In fact, most antimicrobials sold on earth are not used in humans: 73% of all antimicrobials are used in animal production, mostly as surrogates for poor hygiene on farms or to increase weight gain. Thus far, the response to this growing threat has been inadequate and uneven across countries.

Details of Research

Dr. Thomas Van Boeckel’s research lies at the interface of science and policy. His objective is to accelerate the international response to the rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance. Specifically, he will pioneer the development of a novel type of platform to automate epidemiological data collection, and using geospatial methods he will map the geographic distribution of four common drug-resistant pathogens found in animals. The objective of this work is to help target intervention against antimicrobial resistance in the most affected regions, and create a baseline for the evaluation of future efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance in food animals. He will also explore how economic incentives such as taxes could be deployed to optimally manage the antimicrobials currently used in veterinary medicine. Ultimately those initiatives aim to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance in animals, as well as their potential transmission to humans.

Publications

2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | Before 2019 |

2023

Schar D, Zhang Z, Pires J, Vrancken B, Suchard M, Lemey P, Ip M, Gilbert M, Van Boeckel TP, Dellicour S

Dispersal history and bidirectional human-fish host switching of invasive, hypervirulent Streptococcus agalactiae sequence type 283.

2023, PLOS Glob Public Health
PDF DOI

Mulchandani R, Wang Y, Gilbert M, Van Boeckel TP

Global trends in antimicrobial use in food-producing animals: 2020 to 2030.

2023, PLOS Glob Public Health
PDF DOI

Morgan A, Moran D, Van Boeckel TP

Taxation of veterinary antibiotics to reduce antimicrobial resistance.

2023, One Health
PDF DOI

Mendelsohn E, Ross N, Zambrana-Torrelio C, Van Boeckel TP, Laxminarayan R, Daszak P

Global patterns and correlates in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in humans.

2023, Proc Biol Sci
PDF DOI

Leangapichart T, Stosic M, Hickman R, Lunha K, Jiwakanon J, Angkititrakul S, Magnusson U, Van Boeckel TP, Järhult J, Sunde M

Exploring the epidemiology of mcr genes, genetic context and plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae originating from pigs and humans on farms in Thailand.

2023, J Antimicrob Chemother
PDF DOI

Balasubramanian R, Van Boeckel TP, Carmeli Y, Cosgrove S, Laxminarayan R

Global incidence in hospital-associated infections resistant to antibiotics: An analysis of point prevalence surveys from 99 countries.

2023, PLoS Med
PDF DOI

Allel K, Day L, Hamilton A, Lin L, Furuya-Kanamori L, Moore C, Van Boeckel TP, Laxminarayan R, Yakob L

Global antimicrobial-resistance drivers: an ecological country-level study at the human-animal interface.

2023, Lancet Planet Health
PDF DOI

Jagadesh S, Zhao C, Mulchandani R, Van Boeckel TP

Mapping Global Bushmeat Activities to Improve Zoonotic Spillover Surveillance by Using Geospatial Modeling.

2023, Emerg Infect Dis
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Babu Rajendran N, Arieti F, Mena-Benítez C, Galia L, Tebon M, Alvarez J, Gladstone B, Collineau L, De Angelis G, Duro R, Gaze W, Göpel S, Kanj S, Käsbohrer A, Limmathurotsakul D, Lopez De Abechuco E, Mazzolini E, Mutters N, Pezzani M, Presterl E, Renk H, Rodríguez-Baño J, Săndulescu O, Scali F, Skov R, Velavan T, Vuong C, Tacconelli E, Epi-Net One Health Consensus Working Group C

EPI-Net One Health reporting guideline for antimicrobial consumption and resistance surveillance data: a Delphi approach.

2023, Lancet Reg Health Eur
PDF DOI

2022

Delli Compagni R, Zhao C, Russo S, Van Boeckel TP

A hybrid Neural Network-SEIR model for forecasting intensive care occupancy in Switzerland during COVID-19 epidemics.

2022, PLoS One
PDF DOI

Zheng D, Yin G, Liu M, Hou L, Yang Y, Van Boeckel TP, Zheng Y, Li Y

Global biogeography and projection of soil antibiotic resistance genes.

2022, Sci Adv
PDF DOI

Pires J, Huber L, Hickman R, Dellicour S, Lunha K, Leangapichart T, Jiwakanon J, Magnusson U, Sunde M, Järhult J, Van Boeckel TP

Genome-associations of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producing (ESBL) or AmpC producing E. coli in small and medium pig farms from Khon Kaen province, Thailand.

2022, BMC Microbiol
PDF DOI

Whitaker J, Brunelli G, Van Boeckel TP, Dube A, Amoah A, Rickard R, Leather A, Davies J

Access to care following injury in Northern Malawi, a comparison of travel time estimates between Geographic Information System and community household reports.

2022, Injury
PDF DOI

Pires J, Huisman JS, Bonhoeffer S, Van Boeckel TP

Increase in antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli in food animals between 1980 and 2018 assessed using genomes from public databases.

2022, J Antimicrob Chemother
DOI

2021

Huber L, Hallenberg G, Lunha K, Leangapichart T, Jiwakanon J, Hickman R, Magnusson U, Sunde M, Järhult J, Van Boeckel TP

Geographic Drivers of Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Pigs in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand.

2021, Front Vet Sci
PDF DOI

Pires J, Huisman JS, Bonhoeffer S, Van Boeckel TP

Multidrug Resistance Dynamics in Salmonella in Food Animals in the United States: An Analysis of Genomes from Public Databases.

2021, Microbiol Spectr
PDF DOI

Schar D, Zhao C, Wang Y, Larsson D, Gilbert M, Van Boeckel TP

Twenty-year trends in antimicrobial resistance from aquaculture and fisheries in Asia.

2021, Nat Commun
PDF DOI

Huber L, Agunos A, Gow S, Carson C, Van Boeckel TP

Reduction in Antimicrobial Use and Resistance to Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli in Broiler Chickens, Canada, 2013-2019.

2021, Emerg Infect Dis
PDF DOI

Zhao C, Wang Y, Tiseo K, Pires J, Criscuolo N, Van Boeckel TP

Geographically targeted surveillance of livestock could help prioritize intervention against antimicrobial resistance in China.

2021, Nat Food
PDF DOI

Hilty M, Moser A, David S, Wendel Garcia P, Capaldo G, Keiser S, Fumeaux T, Guerci P, Montomoli J, Van Boeckel TP, Jeitziner M, Que Y, Jakob S, Schüpbach R, Risc-19-Icu Investigators For Switzerland C

Near real-time observation reveals increased prevalence of young patients in the ICU during the emerging third SARS-CoV-2 wave in Switzerland.

2021, Swiss Med Wkly
PDF DOI

Criscuolo N, Pires J, Zhao C, Van Boeckel TP

resistancebank.org, an open-access repository for surveys of antimicrobial resistance in animals.

2021, Sci Data
PDF DOI

2020

Hallenberg G, Jiwakanon J, Angkititrakul S, Kang-Air S, Osbjer K, Lunha K, Sunde M, Järhult J, Van Boeckel TP, Rich K, Magnusson U

Antibiotic use in pig farms at different levels of intensification-Farmers' practices in northeastern Thailand.

2020, PLoS One
PDF DOI

Tiseo K, Huber L, Gilbert M, Robinson T, Van Boeckel TP

Global Trends in Antimicrobial Use in Food Animals from 2017 to 2030.

2020, Antibiotics (Basel)
PDF DOI

Schar D, Klein E, Laxminarayan R, Gilbert M, Van Boeckel TP

Global trends in antimicrobial use in aquaculture.

2020, Sci Rep
PDF DOI

Lunha K, Leangapichart T, Jiwakanon J, Angkititrakul S, Sunde M, Järhult J, Ström Hallenberg G, Hickman R, Van Boeckel TP, Magnusson U

Antimicrobial Resistance in Fecal Escherichia coli from Humans and Pigs at Farms at Different Levels of Intensification.

2020, Antibiotics (Basel)
PDF DOI

Zhao C, Tepekule B, Criscuolo N, Wendel Garcia P, Hilty M, Risc-Icu Consortium Investigators In Switzerland , Fumeaux T, Van Boeckel TP

icumonitoring.ch: a platform for short-term forecasting of intensive care unit occupancy during the COVID-19 epidemic in Switzerland.

2020, Swiss Med Wkly
PDF DOI

Laxminarayan R, Van Boeckel TP, Frost I, Kariuki S, Khan E, Limmathurotsakul D, Larsson D, Levy-Hara G, Mendelson M, Outterson K, Peacock S, Zhu Y

The Lancet Infectious Diseases Commission on antimicrobial resistance: 6 years later.

2020, Lancet Infect Dis
DOI

2019

Mohsin M, Van Boeckel TP, Saleemi M, Umair M, Naseem M, He C, Khan A, Laxminarayan R

Excessive use of medically important antimicrobials in food animals in Pakistan: a five-year surveillance survey.

2019, Glob Health Action
PDF DOI

Frost I, Van Boeckel TP, Pires J, Craig J, Laxminarayan R

Global geographic trends in antimicrobial resistance: the role of international travel.

2019, J Travel Med
DOI

Silvester R, Pires J, Van Boeckel TP, Madhavan A, Balakrishnan Meenakshikutti A, Hatha M

Occurrence of β-Lactam Resistance Genes and Plasmid-Mediated Resistance Among Vibrios Isolated from Southwest Coast of India.

2019, Microb Drug Resist
DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Do Couto Pires J, Silvester R, Zhao C, Song J, Criscuolo N, Gilbert M, Bonhoeffer S, Laxminarayan R

Global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animals in low- and middle-income countries.

2019, Science
PDF DOI

Before 2019

top

Dhingra M, Artois J, Dellicour S, Lemey P, Dauphin G, Von Dobschuetz S, Van Boeckel TP, Castellan D, Morzaria S, Gilbert M

Geographical and Historical Patterns in the Emergences of Novel Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5 and H7 Viruses in Poultry.

2018, Front Vet Sci
PDF DOI

Retkute R, Jewell C, Van Boeckel TP, Zhang G, Xiao X, Thanapongtharm W, Keeling M, Gilbert M, Tildesley M

Dynamics of the 2004 avian influenza H5N1 outbreak in Thailand: The role of duck farming, sequential model fitting and control.

2018, Prev Vet Med
DOI

Gilbert M, Nicolas G, Cinardi G, Van Boeckel TP, Vanwambeke S, Wint G, Robinson T

Global distribution data for cattle, buffaloes, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and ducks in 2010.

2018, Sci Data
PDF DOI

Klein E, Van Boeckel TP, Martinez E, Pant S, Gandra S, Levin S, Goossens H, Laxminarayan R

Global increase and geographic convergence in antibiotic consumption between 2000 and 2015.

2018, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Laxminarayan R

Response.

2017, Science
DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Glennon E, Chen D, Gilbert M, Robinson T, Grenfell B, Levin S, Bonhoeffer S, Laxminarayan R

Reducing antimicrobial use in food animals.

2017, Science
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Laxminarayan R

Correction to global antibiotic consumption data.

2017, Lancet Infect Dis
PDF DOI

Robinson T, Bu D, Carrique-Mas J, Fèvre E, Gilbert M, Grace D, Hay S, Jiwakanon J, Kakkar M, Kariuki S, Laxminarayan R, Lubroth J, Magnusson U, Thi Ngoc P, Van Boeckel TP, Woolhouse M

Antibiotic resistance: mitigation opportunities in livestock sector development.

2017, Animal
DOI

Robinson T, Bu D, Carrique-Mas J, Fèvre E, Gilbert M, Grace D, Hay S, Jiwakanon J, Kakkar M, Kariuki S, Laxminarayan R, Lubroth J, Magnusson U, Thi Ngoc P, Van Boeckel TP, Woolhouse M

Antibiotic resistance is the quintessential One Health issue.

2016, Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Takahashi S, Liao Q, Xing W, Lai S, Hsiao V, Liu F, Zheng Y, Chang Z, Yuan C, Metcalf C, Yu H, Grenfell B

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in China: Critical Community Size and Spatial Vaccination Strategies.

2016, Sci Rep
PDF DOI

Takahashi S, Liao Q, Van Boeckel TP, Xing W, Sun J, Hsiao V, Metcalf C, Chang Z, Liu F, Zhang J, Wu J, Cowling B, Leung G, Farrar J, Van Doorn H, Grenfell B, Yu H

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in China: Modeling Epidemic Dynamics of Enterovirus Serotypes and Implications for Vaccination.

2016, PLoS Med
PDF DOI

Gilbert M, Conchedda G, Van Boeckel TP, Cinardi G, Linard C, Nicolas G, Thanapongtharm W, D'Aietti L, Wint W, Newman S, Robinson T

Income Disparities and the Global Distribution of Intensively Farmed Chicken and Pigs.

2015, PLoS One
PDF DOI

Tian H, Zhou S, Dong L, Van Boeckel TP, Cui Y, Newman S, Takekawa J, Prosser D, Xiao X, Wu Y, Cazelles B, Huang S, Yang R, Grenfell B, Xu B

Correction for Tian et al., Avian influenza H5N1 viral and bird migration networks in Asia.

2015, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Brower C, Gilbert M, Grenfell B, Levin S, Robinson T, Teillant A, Laxminarayan R

Global trends in antimicrobial use in food animals.

2015, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PDF DOI

Tian H, Zhou S, Dong L, Van Boeckel TP, Cui Y, Newman S, Takekawa J, Prosser D, Xiao X, Wu Y, Cazelles B, Huang S, Yang R, Grenfell B, Xu B

Avian influenza H5N1 viral and bird migration networks in Asia.

2015, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PDF DOI

Robinson T, Wint G, Conchedda G, Van Boeckel TP, Ercoli V, Palamara E, Cinardi G, D'Aietti L, Hay S, Gilbert M

Mapping the global distribution of livestock.

2014, PLoS One
PDF DOI

Koole O, Houben R, Mzembe T, Van Boeckel TP, Kayange M, Jahn A, Chimbwandira F, Glynn J, Crampin A

Improved retention of patients starting antiretroviral treatment in Karonga District, northern Malawi, 2005-2012.

2014, J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Gandra S, Ashok A, Caudron Q, Grenfell B, Levin S, Laxminarayan R

Global antibiotic consumption 2000 to 2010: an analysis of national pharmaceutical sales data.

2014, Lancet Infect Dis
DOI

Gilbert M, Golding N, Zhou H, Wint G, Robinson T, Tatem A, Lai S, Zhou S, Jiang H, Guo D, Huang Z, Messina J, Xiao X, Linard C, Van Boeckel TP, Martin V, Bhatt S, Gething P, Farrar J, Hay S, Yu H

Predicting the risk of avian influenza A H7N9 infection in live-poultry markets across Asia.

2014, Nat Commun
PDF DOI

Laxminarayan R, Van Boeckel TP

The value of tracking antibiotic consumption.

2014, Lancet Infect Dis
DOI

Weiss D, Bhatt S, Mappin B, Van Boeckel TP, Smith D, Hay S, Gething P

Air temperature suitability for Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission in Africa 2000-2012: a high-resolution spatiotemporal prediction.

2014, Malar J
PDF DOI

Battle K, Karhunen M, Bhatt S, Gething P, Howes R, Golding N, Van Boeckel TP, Messina J, Shanks G, Smith D, Baird J, Hay S

Geographical variation in Plasmodium vivax relapse.

2014, Malar J
PDF DOI

Thanapongtharm W, Van Boeckel TP, Biradar C, Xiao X, Gilbert M

Rivers and flooded areas identified by medium-resolution remote sensing improve risk prediction of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in Thailand.

2013, Geospat Health
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Thanapongtharm W, Robinson T, Biradar C, Xiao X, Gilbert M

Improving risk models for avian influenza: the role of intensive poultry farming and flooded land during the 2004 Thailand epidemic.

2012, PLoS One
PDF DOI

Houben R, Van Boeckel TP, Mwinuka V, Mzumara P, Branson K, Linard C, Chimbwandira F, French N, Glynn J, Crampin A

Monitoring the impact of decentralised chronic care services on patient travel time in rural Africa--methods and results in Northern Malawi.

2012, Int J Health Geogr
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Thanapongtharm W, Robinson T, D’Aietti L, Gilbert M

Predicting the distribution of intensive poultry farming in Thailand

2012, Agric Ecosyst Environ
DOI

Sinka M, Rubio-Palis Y, Manguin S, Patil A, Temperley W, Gething P, Van Boeckel TP, Kabaria C, Harbach R, Hay S

Correction: The dominant vectors of human malaria in the Americas: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis.

2011, Parasit Vectors
PDF DOI

Van Boeckel TP, Prosser D, Franceschini G, Biradar C, Wint W, Robinson T, Gilbert M

Modelling the distribution of domestic ducks in Monsoon Asia.

2011, Agric Ecosyst Environ
PDF DOI

Prosser D, Wu J, Ellis E, Gale F, Van Boeckel TP, Wint W, Robinson T, Xiao X, Gilbert M

Modelling the distribution of chickens, ducks, and geese in China.

2011, Agric Ecosyst Environ
PDF DOI

Gething P, Van Boeckel TP, Smith D, Guerra C, Patil A, Snow R, Hay S

Modelling the global constraints of temperature on transmission of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax.

2011, Parasit Vectors
PDF DOI

Sinka M, Bangs M, Manguin S, Coetzee M, Mbogo C, Hemingway J, Patil A, Temperley W, Gething P, Kabaria C, Okara R, Van Boeckel TP, Godfray H, Harbach R, Hay S

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Africa, Europe and the Middle East: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis.

2010, Parasit Vectors
PDF DOI

Guerra C, Howes R, Patil A, Gething P, Van Boeckel TP, Temperley W, Kabaria C, Tatem A, Manh B, Elyazar I, Baird J, Snow R, Hay S

The international limits and population at risk of Plasmodium vivax transmission in 2009.

2010, PLoS Negl Trop Dis
PDF DOI

Sinka M, Rubio-Palis Y, Manguin S, Patil A, Temperley W, Gething P, Van Boeckel TP, Kabaria C, Harbach R, Hay S

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Americas: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis.

2010, Parasit Vectors
PDF DOI