Graduated in 1983 as doctor in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Gent.

After being assistant in animal physiology at the University of Antwerp  and assistant in veterinary virology and in immunology, he became appointed assistant-professor at the Laboratory of Immunology in 1993 and full professor in 2004. Since 2008 he is head of the lab and since 2014 Chairman of the Department of Virology, parasitology, immunology.

His main research topic is the intestinal mucosal immune system of animals and how to activate this using different vaccination strategies. Hereto the role or the epithelium, dendritic cells and mucosal lymphocytes is studied in vivo, in situ and in cell culture systems. A unique oral F4 immunisation model is used to evaluate the immune mechanisms, to analyse the effect of potential oral delivery systems and of mucosal adjuvants and let to do the development of oral vaccination strategy in which antigen is targeted to the brush border enzyme aminopeptidase N. A group of potential oral adjuvants, extensively studied by the lab are ß 1,3-1,6 glucans. These molecules are potent activators of the innate immunity. His research group uses the knowledge on mucosal immunity to study the host-pathogen interaction at the intestinal mucosa of F4 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), F18 shigatoxin-producing E. coli, Toxoplasma gondii and Chlamydia species in pigs, and Toxoplasma gondii, enterohemorrhagic E. coli in sheep and calves, which resulted among others in the discovery of the intestinal receptors for F4 and F18 ETEC.

More recently, similar techniques are used to study food allergy in dogs and desensibilization for food allergy using sublingual immunisations.

Eric Cox is author or co-author of more than 240 publications in refereed journals and 6 book chapters. He has given more than 130 oral presentations on national and international conferences

Bibliography since 2015

1. Verhelst, D., De Craeye,S., Jennes, M., Dorny, P., Goddeeris, B., Cox, E., 2015. Interferon gamma expression and infectivity of Toxoplasma infected tissues in experimentally infected sheep in comparison with pigs. Vet. Parasitol., 207, 7-16. (IF2014: 2.460; ranking 7/133 Veterinary Sciences Q1)
2. Baert K., Sonck E., Goddeeris B.M., Devriendt B., Cox E., 2015. Cell type-specific differences in ß-glucan recognition and signalling in porcine innate immune cells. Dev. Comp. Immunol., 48, 192-203. (IF2014: 2.815; ranking: 13/154 in Zoology Q1)
3. Evelien Kieckens, Joanna Rybarczyk, Lieven De Zutter, Luc Duchateau, Daisy Vanrompay, and Eric Cox, 2015. Clearance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection in calves by rectal administration of bovine lactoferrin. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 81, 1644-51.  (IF2015: 3.376; ranking: 34/163 in Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology Q1)
4. Mehrzad J., Devriendt B., Baert K., Cox E., 2015. Aflatoxins of type B and G affect porcine dendritic cell maturation in vitro. Journal of Immunotoxicology, 12, 174-80. (IF2015: 2.020; ranking: 55/88 in Toxicology Q3)
5. Nguyen VU, Melkebeek V, Devriendt B, Goetstouwers T, Van Poucke M, Peelman L, Goddeeris BM, Cox E, 2015. Maternal immunity enhances systemic recall immune responses upon oral immunization of piglets with F4 fimbriae. Veterinary Research, 46:72. (IF2015: 2.928; ranking: 3/138 in Veterinary Sciences; Q1)
6. Meganck V., Goddeeris BM, De Campeneere S, Hostens M, Van Eetvelde M, Piepers S., Cox E, Opsomer G., 2015 Effect of -hydroxy-butyric acid, parity and body condition score on phenotype and proliferative capacity of colostral mononuclear leukocytes of high yielding dairy cows. J. Dairy Science, 98:6782-91 (IF2015: 2.403; ranking 2/57 in Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Sciences; Q1) 
7. Bijvelds MJC, Loos M, Bronsveld I, Hellemans A, Bongartz JP, Ver Donck L, Cox E, de Jonge HR, Schuurkes JAJ, De Maeyer JH, 2015. Inhibition of heat-stable toxin induced intestinal salt and water secretion by a novel class of guanylyl cyclase C inhibitors. J. Infectious diseases, 212:1806-15. (IF2015: 6.344; ranking 5/83 in Infectious Diseases; Q1).
8. Verbrugghe E., Van Parys A,. Leyman B., Boyen F., Arnouts S. Lundberg U., Ducatelle R., Van den Broeck W., Atef Yekta  M., Cox E., Haesebrouck F., Pasmans F., 2015. Heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli promotes intestinal colonization of Salmonella enterica. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 43:1-7 (IF2014: 2.015; ranking 14/133 in Veterinary Sciences; Q1)
9. Baert K., De Geest B.G., De Rycke R., da Fonseca Antunes A.B., De Greve H, Devriendt B., Cox E., 2015. β-glucan microparticles targeted to epithelial APN as oral antigen delivery system. J. Controlled Release, 220:149-159 (IF2015: 7.441; ranking Pharmacology and Pharmacy: 9/255; Q1).
10. Luo Y, Van Nguyen U, de la Fe Rodriguez PY, Devriendt B, Cox E., 2015. F4+ ETEC infection and oral immunization with F4 fimbriae elicits an IL-17-dominated immune response. Veterinary Research, 46:121 (IF2015: 2.928; ranking: 3/138 in Veterinary Sciences Q1)
11. Meganck V., Opsomer G., Piepers S., Cox E., Goddeeris B.M., 2016. Maternal colostral leukocytes appear to enhance cell mediated recall response, but inhibit humoral recall response in prime-boost vaccinated calves. Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 113, 68-75 (IF2016: 2.798; ranking: 10/29 in ‘Reproductive Biology’; Q2)
12. Baert K, De Geest B.G., De Greve H., Devriendt , Cox E., 2016. Duality of β-glucan microparticles: antigen carrier and immunostimulants. International Journal of Nanomedicine, 11:2463-9. (IF2016: 4.300; ranking 37/256 in Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Q1)
13. Topp E, Irwin R, McAllister T, Lessard M, Joensuu JJ, Kolotilin I, Conrad U, Stöger E, Mor T, Warzecha H, Hall JC, McLean MD, Cox E, Devriendt B, Potter A, Depicker A, Virdi V, Holbrook L, Doshi K, Dussault M, Friendship R, Yarosh O, Yoo HS, MacDonald J, Menassa R. 2016. The case for plant-made veterinary immuno-therapeutics. Biotechnology Advances 34:597-604 (IF2016: 10.597; ranking 6/158 in Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology, Q1, 10%)
14. Maina E., Cox E., 2016. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial of the efficacy, quality of life and safety of food allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy in client owned dogs with adverse food reactions: a small pilot study. Vet Dermatol. 2016 Oct;27(5):361-e91 Vet Dermatol. 2:361-e91 (IF2016 1.622; ranking 29/136 in Veterinary Sciences Q1)
15. Kieckens E., Rybarczyk J.; Li R.W., Vanrompay D., Cox E., 2016. Potential immunosuppressive effects of Escherichia coli O157:H7 experimental infection on the bovine host. BMC Genomics, 17:1049. (IF2016 3.729 ranking 33/158 in Biotechnologie and Applied Microbiology Q1) 
16. B. Ahmed, C. De Boeck, A. Dumont, E. Cox, K. De Reu, D. Vanrompay, 2017. First experimental evidence for the transmission of Chlamydia psittaci in poultry through egg-shell penetration. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 64, 167-170 (IF2017: 3.504; ranking: 2/140 in Veterinary Science, Q1, 10%)
17. Rybarczyk J., Kieckens E., De Zutter L., Remon JP, Vanrompay D., Cox E., 2017. Effects of lactoferrin treatment on Escherichia coli O157:H7 rectal colonization in cattle. Vet. Microbiol. 202:38-46 (IF2017 2.525; ranking 8/140; ranking 6/136 in Veterinary Sciences Q1, 10%)
18. De Puysseleyr L., De Puysseleyr K, Braeckman L, Morré SA, Cox E, Vanrompay D. 2017. Assessment of Chlamydia suis infection in pig farmers. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 64: 826-833 (IF2017: 3.504; ranking: 2/140 in Veterinary Sciences; Q1, 10%).
19. Kieckens E, Rybarczyk J, Barth SA, Menge C, Cox E*, Vanrompay D.*, 2017. Effect of lactoferrin on release and bioactivity of Shiga toxins from different Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains. Vet Microbiol. 202: 29-37(IF2017 2.525; ranking 8/140 36 in Veterinary Sciences Q1, 10%).
20. Nguyen V.U., Coddens A., Melkebeek V., Devriendt B., Goetstouwers T., Van Poucke M., Peelman L., Cox E., 2017. High susceptibility prevalence for F4+ and F18+ Escherichia coli in Flemish pigs. Vet Microbiol. 202: 52-57. (IF2017 2.525; ranking 8/140 in Veterinary Sciences Q1)
21. Rybarczyk J, Kieckens E, Vanrompay D*, Cox E*, 2017. In vitro and in vivo studies on the antimicrobial effect of lactoferrin against Escherichia coli O157:H7. Vet Microbiol.  202: 23-28 (IF2017 2.525; ranking 8/140  in Veterinary Sciences Q1, 10%).
22. Maina E., Pelst M., Hesta M., Cox E., 2017. Food-specific sublingual immunotherapy is well tolerated and safe in healthy dogs: a blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. BMC Veterinary Research, 13:25. (IF2017 1,958; ranking 20/140 in Veterinary Sciences Q1).
23. Coddens A., Loos M., Vanrompay D., Remon J.P, Cox E., 2017. Cranberry extract inhibits in vitro adhesion of F4 and F18+ Escherichia coli to pig intestinal epithelium and reduces in vivo excretion of pigs orally challenged with F18+ verotoxigenic E. coli. Vet Microbiol., 202, 64-71 (IF2017 2.525; ranking 8/140 in Veterinary Sciences Q1, 10%).
24. Beyi AF, Fite AT, Tora E, Tafese A, Genu T, Kaba T., Beyene TJ, Beyene T, Korsa MG, Tadesse F., De Zutter L, Goddeeris BM, Cox E, 2017. Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli O157 in beef at butcher shops and restaurants in central Ethiopia. BMC Microbiology 17:49 (IF2017 2,829; ranking 54/126 in Microbiol Sciences Q2).
25. Abdissa R, Haile Woynshet, Fite AT, Beyi AF, Agga GE, Edao BM, Tadesse F, Korsa MG, Beyene T, Beyene TJ, De Zutter L, Cox E, Goddeeris BM, 2017. Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef cattle at slaughter and beef carcasses at retail shops in Ethiopia, BMC Infectious Diseases 17: 277(IF2017 2.620; ranking 44/88 in section Infectious Diseases; Q2).
26. Jennes M., De Craeye S., Devriendt B., Dierick K., Dorny P., Cox E., 2017. Strain- and dose-dependent reduction of Toxoplasma gondii burden in pigs is associated with Interferon-gamma production by CD8+ Lymphocytes. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 7: 232 (IF 2017 3.520 ; ranking 41/125 in section Microbiology ; Q2).
27. Gisbert Algaba I, Geerts M., Jennes M., Coucke W., Opsteegh  M., Cox  E., Dorny P., Dierick K., De Craeye S., 2017. A more sensitive, efficient and ISO 17025 validated MC-qPCR method for the detection of archetypal T. gondii strains in meat. International Journal for Parasitology, 47: 875-884 (IF2017 3.078; ranking 7/37 in section Parasitology; Q1).
28. Cox E., 2017. Editorial. Veterinary Microbiology 202: 1. (IF2017 2.525; ranking 8/140 in Veterinary Sciences Q1).
29. Maina E., Devriendt B., Cox E., 2017. Changes in cytokines after a 6-month food allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy in dogs with adverse food reactions. Veterinary Dermatology, 28: 612-e149. (IF2017 1.270; ranking 50/140 in Veterinary Sciences Q2).
30. Kristien Van Reeth, José Carlos Mancera Gracia, Ivan Trus, Lieve Sys, Gerwin Claes, Han Versnaeyen, Eric Cox, Florian Krammer, and Yu Qiu, 2017. Heterologous prime-boost vaccination with H3N2 influenza viruses of swine favors cross-clade antibody responses and protection. Npj Vaccines, 2:11 (IF2017 3.143; ranking 55/133 in Medicine Research & Experimental; Q2)
31. Ignacio Gisbert Algaba , Verhaegen B.  Malgorzata Jennes, Mizanur Rahman ,Wim Coucke, Eric Cox, Pierre Dorny, Katelijne Dierick , Stéphane De Craeye, 2018. Pork as a source of transmission of Toxoplasma gondii to humans, a parasite burden study in pig tissues after infection with different strains of Toxoplasma gondii in function of time and different parasite stages. International Journal for Parasitology, 48(7):555-560. (IF2017 3.078; ranking 7/37 in section Parasitology; Q1).
32. Karin Hoelzer; Lisa Bielke; Damer P Blake; Eric Cox; Simon M Cutting; Bert Devriendt; Elisabeth Erlacher-Vindel; Evy Goossens; Kemal Karaca; Stephane Lemiere; Martin Metzner; Margot Raicek; Miquel Collell Surinach; Nora M. Wong; Cyril Gay; Filip Van Immerseel, 2018. Vaccines as alternatives to antibiotics for food producing animals -  Part 1: challenges and needs. A Report from the 2nd International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics. Veterinary Research, 49(1):64. (IF 2017 2.903; ranking 4/140 in section Veterinary Sciences; Q1)
33. Karin Hoelzer; Lisa Bielke; Blake P Damer; Eric Cox; Simon M Cutting; Bert Devriendt; Elisabeth Erlacher-Vindel; Evy Goossens; Kemal Karaca; Stephane Lemiere; Martin Metzner; Margot Raicek; Miquel Collell Surinach; Nora Wong; Cyril Gay; Filip Van Immerseel, 2018. Vaccines as alternatives to antibiotics for food producing animals - Part 2, new approaches and potential solutions. A Report from the 2nd International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics. Veterinary Research, 49(1):70.(IF 2017 2.903; ranking 4/140 in section Veterinary Sciences; Q1)
34. Bregje Leyman, Huysmans Hanne, Mc Cafferty Séan, Combes Francis, Cox Eric, Devriendt Bert, Sanders Niek, 2018. Comparison of the expression kinetics and immunostimulatory activity of replicating mRNA, non-replicating mRNA and pDNA after intradermal electroporation in pigs. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 15: 377 – 384.
 (IF 2017 4.556; ranking 27/261 in section Parmacoloy & Parmacie; Q1)
35. Kieckens E., Rybarczyk J., Cox E.*, Vanrompay D.*, 2018. Antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities of bovine lactoferrin against Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections in cattle. Biometals, accepted (IF 2017 2.478; ranking 177/293 in section Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Q3)
36. Al-Kappany Y.M., Abbas I., Devleesschauwer B., Dorny P., Jennes M., Cox E., 2018. Seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in Egyptian sheep and goats. BMC Veterinary Research, in press. (IF2017 1.958; ranking 24/136 in Veterinary Sciences; Q1).
37. Van der Weken Hans, Cox Eric*, Devriendt Bert*, 2019. Rapid production of a chimeric antibody-antigen fusion protein based on 2A-peptide cleavage and GFP expression in CHO cells. Mononoclonals, 11(3):559-568. (IF2017 5.165; ranking 15/155 in Medicine, Research & Experimental.; Q1)
38. Haixiu Wang, Zifu Zhong, Yu Luo, Eric Cox, Bert Devriendt, 2019. Heat-stable enterotoxins of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and their impact on host immunityHeat-Resistant Toxins of Animal, Plant and Microbial Origins, Toxins, 2019 Jan 8;11(1). (IF2017  3.273; ranking 21/133 in Food Science & Technology ; Q1)
39. C.K. Masmeijer, B. Devriendt, T.M. Rogge, K. van Leenen, L. de Cremer, B. Van Ranst, P. Deprez, E. Cox, and B. Pardon, 2019. Randomized field trial on the effects of bodyweight and short transport on stress and immune parameters in 2-4 week old dairy calves. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 33, 1514-1529. (IF 2017 2.185; ranking 12/140 in Veterinary Sciences; Q1).
40. Mottram L., Chakraborty S., Cox E., Fleckenstein J., 2019. How genomics can be used to understand host susceptibility to enteric infection, aiding in the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutic interventions. Vaccine, in press. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.01.016 (IF 2017 3.285; ranking 52/133 in Medicine, Research and Experimental Sciences; Q2).
41. Vikram Virdi, Jorge Palaci, Bram Laukens, Stefan Ryckaert, Eric Cox, Erik Vanderbeke, Ann Depicker & Nico Callewaert, 2019. Yeast-secreted, dried and food-admixed monomeric IgA-like antibodies block gastrointestinal infection. Nature Biotechnology, 37, 527-530 (IF 2017 35.724; Ranking 2/162 in Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology; Q1)
42. Yu Luo, Jia Xu, Chaoying Zhang, Chunyan Jiang, Yanfeng Ma, Haijian He, Yuan Wu, Bert Devriendt, Eric Cox, Hongbin Zhang, 2019. Toll-like receptor 5–mediated IL-17C expression in intestinal epithelial cells enhances epithelial host defense against F4+ ETEC infection. Vet Res, in press (IF 2017 2.903; ranking 4/140 in section Veterinary Sciences; Q1) 
43. Maina E., Devriendt B., Cox E., 2019. Food allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy modulates peripheral T cell responses of dogs with adverse food reactions. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol., 212, 38-42 (IF 2017 1,632; Ranking 30/140 in section Veterinary Sciences; Q1)
44. Lacave G., Cui Y., Salbany A., Flanagan C., Grande F., Cox E., 2019. Evaluation of Erysipleas vaccination protocols of dolphins (Tursiops truncates) by analysis of the antibody response: twenty years of vaccination. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, in press. (IF 2017 1.543; ranking 37/140 in Veterinary Sciences; Q2)