# Vicky Charitou

Vicky is currently training to become a European patent attorney in the field of life sciences, with a focus on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. She has a strong background in biology, with expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, and infectious diseases.

Vicky obtained her MSc in Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences from Utrecht University. She subsequently completed her PhD in microbiology at the Amsterdam UMC, where her research focused on the discovery of novel antibiotics targeting infectious diseases, with a particular emphasis on tuberculosis.

Following the completion of her doctoral research, Vicky joined HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER. Her scientific background provides a solid foundation for advising on complex patent matters at the interface of life sciences and innovation.



### Publications

- Charitou V, Izquierdo Lafuente B, Habjan E, Kuijl C, Willemse JJ, Bitter W, Speer A. PPE51 modulates membrane integrity in Mycobacterium marinum. mBio. 2025 Nov 12;16(11):e0104425. doi: 10.1128/mbio.01044-25. Epub 2025 Sep 22. PMID: 40980894; PMCID: PMC12607722.
- Charitou V, van Keulen SC, Bonvin AMJJ. Cyclization and Docking Protocol for Cyclic Peptide-Protein Modeling Using HADDOCK2.4. J Chem Theory Comput. 2022 Jun 14;18(6):4027-4040. doi: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00075. Epub 2022 Jun 2. PMID: 35652781; PMCID: PMC9202357.
- Jekhmane S, Derks MGN, Maity S, Slingerland CJ, Tehrani KHME, Medeiros-Silva J, Charitou V, Ammerlaan D, Fetz C, Consoli NA, Cochrane RVK, Matheson EJ, van der Weijde M, Elenbaas BOW, Lavore F, Cox R, Lorent JH, Baldus M, Künzler M, Lelli M, Cochrane SA, Martin NI, Roos WH, Breukink E, Weingarth M. Host defence peptide plectasin targets bacterial cell wall precursor lipid II by a calcium-sensitive supramolecular mechanism. Nat Microbiol. 2024 Jul;9(7):1778-1791. doi: 10.1038/s41564-024-01696-9. Epub 2024 May 23. PMID: 38783023; PMCID: PMC11222147.
- Habjan E, Lepioshkin A, Charitou V, Egorova A, Kazakova E, Ho VQ, Bitter W, Makarov V, Speer A. Modulating mycobacterial envelope integrity for antibiotic synergy with benzothiazoles. Life Sci Alliance. 2024 May 14;7(7):e202302509. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202302509. PMID: 38744470; PMCID: PMC11094368.





### Speaking engagements

- Speaker, GRC Biology of Mycobacteria, Los Angeles (2025)
- Poster, KNVM Conference, Arnhem (2023 & 2025)
- Poster, GRC Tuberculosis Drug Discovery, Barcelona (2022)
- Poster, Hellenic Society for Biological Sciences, Greece (2019)









## Publications



- Charitou V, Izquierdo Lafuente B, Habjan E, Kuijl C, Willemse JJ, Bitter W, Speer A. PPE51 modulates membrane integrity in Mycobacterium marinum. mBio. 2025 Nov 12;16(11):e0104425. doi: 10.1128/mbio.01044-25. Epub 2025 Sep 22. PMID: 40980894; PMCID: PMC12607722.
- Charitou V, van Keulen SC, Bonvin AMJJ. Cyclization and Docking Protocol for Cyclic Peptide-Protein Modeling Using HADDOCK2.4. J Chem Theory Comput. 2022 Jun 14;18(6):4027-4040. doi: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00075. Epub 2022 Jun 2. PMID: 35652781; PMCID: PMC9202357.
- Jekhmane S, Derks MGN, Maity S, Slingerland CJ, Tehrani KHME, Medeiros-Silva J, Charitou V, Ammerlaan D, Fetz C, Consoli NA, Cochrane RVK, Matheson EJ, van der Weijde M, Elenbaas BOW, Lavore F, Cox R, Lorent JH, Baldus M, Künzler M, Lelli M, Cochrane SA, Martin NI, Roos WH, Breukink E, Weingarth M. Host defence peptide plectasin targets bacterial cell wall precursor lipid II by a calcium-sensitive supramolecular mechanism. Nat Microbiol. 2024 Jul;9(7):1778-1791. doi: 10.1038/s41564-024-01696-9. Epub 2024 May 23. PMID: 38783023; PMCID: PMC11222147.
- Habjan E, Lepioshkin A, Charitou V, Egorova A, Kazakova E, Ho VQ, Bitter W, Makarov V, Speer A. Modulating mycobacterial envelope integrity for antibiotic synergy with benzothiazoles. Life Sci Alliance. 2024 May 14;7(7):e202302509. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202302509. PMID: 38744470; PMCID: PMC11094368.



## Speaking engagements



- Speaker, GRC Biology of Mycobacteria, Los Angeles (2025)
- Poster, KNVM Conference, Arnhem (2023 & 2025)
- Poster, GRC Tuberculosis Drug Discovery, Barcelona (2022)
- Poster, Hellenic Society for Biological Sciences, Greece (2019)