Ingrid Dijkgraaf
Professor
Maastricht University
Talk Information
Computational Empowerment in Peptide Science
18 June 2025, 02:35pm - 02:50pm, in the Pacific Jewel Ballroom
L45 – Computational Epitope Mapping and Chemical Engineering of Tick Proteins for Vaccine Development
Professor Ingrid Dijkgraaf is a distinguished chemist specializing in biomimetic chemistry and peptide science. She currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Maastricht University, where she holds the chair in Biomimetic Chemistry within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. Her research is conducted under the auspices of the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, CARIM.
Academic Background
Dr. Dijkgraaf earned her degree in Organic Chemistry from Wageningen University. She pursued doctoral research focusing on the synthesis and biological evaluation of αvβ3-binding peptides and peptidomimetics at Utrecht University and Radboud University Nijmegen. Following her Ph.D., she undertook postdoctoral research at the Technical University of Munich, Radboud University Nijmegen, and The Scripps Research Institute in California. In 2011, she joined Maastricht University, where she has since advanced to her current professorship.
Research Focus
Professor Dijkgraaf's research centers on the design and chemical synthesis of peptides and proteins using Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis and Native Chemical Ligation. Her work involves conjugating these biomolecules with chelators, fluorescent labels, and multimodality tags to facilitate molecular imaging of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Notably, her team investigates bioactive peptides derived from natural sources, such as ticks and snakes, to explore their potential in developing innovative therapeutics and diagnostics.
Notable Contributions
Dr. Dijkgraaf has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications, contributing significantly to the fields of peptide chemistry, molecular imaging, and cardiovascular research. Her recent studies include the development of novel imaging agents for vascular calcification and the exploration of peptide-based inhibitors targeting platelet activation pathways.
Awards and Honors
In recognition of her contributions to biomimetic chemistry, Professor Dijkgraaf was appointed to the chair in Biomimetic Chemistry at Maastricht University in 2024. Her inaugural lecture, titled "Chemische innovatie door biologische inspiratie," Chemical Innovation through Biological Inspiration, highlighted the role of natural compounds in advancing medicinal chemistry.
Professional Engagements
Beyond her research, Dr. Dijkgraaf actively participates in academic collaborations and serves on editorial boards of scientific journals. She is involved in mentoring graduate students and contributes to the scientific community through her role at CARIM, fostering interdisciplinary research in cardiovascular medicine.
Through her innovative research and academic leadership, Professor Ingrid Dijkgraaf continues to advance the field of peptide science, bridging chemistry and biology to develop novel solutions for complex medical challenges.
Computational Epitope Mapping and Chemical Engineering of Tick Proteins for Vaccine Development
Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Tick-borne diseases impose severe burdens on healthcare systems and livestock industries, causing billions in economic losses worldwide. Climate change is expanding tick habitats, making novel tick control strategies more urgent than ever. Anti-tick vaccines (ATV) represent a promising approach, but their development is hindered by the low immunogenicity of tick proteins.
Here, we present a pipeline for ATV antigen (ATVA) design, integrating AlphaFold2 structure modeling, in silico antigenic epitope prediction, chemical remodeling, and multimerization. Tick salivary gland transcriptomic data were analyzed, secreted proteins identified via SignalP, and antigenic epitopes predicted using Discotope 3.0. Clustering based on secondary structure and cross-species conservation led to the selection of tick salivary lectin pathway inhibitor (TSLPI) from Ixodes scapularis, a key player in borreliosis transmission.
A 10-residue β-hairpin and a 9-residue linear epitope were synthesized using solid-phase peptide synthesis. The β-hairpin was cyclized via D-Pro-Gly turn using native chemical ligation to preserve its native structure, confirmed by NMR and CD spectroscopy. Both epitopes were tetramerized using a lysine wedge for immunization studies. ELISA revealed a 100-fold higher TSLPI-specific antibody response for tetrameric epitopes compared to monomers. Rabbit immunization followed by tick challenge showed higher TSLPI-specific antibodies, reduced tick weights, and lower egg hatching rates.
These findings highlight the potential of our ATVA pipeline for developing effective anti-tick vaccines, paving the way for novel strategies in tick control and disease prevention.