Specialization
Immunomonitoring, Antigen-specific CD4 T cells, B cells, Immune modulation, Autoimmunity
Focus of research
My research, at Sanquin, focusses on Immune modulation and Antigen-specific Immunomonitoring, with a specific focus on antigen-specific CD4 T cell and B cell responses.
My group specializes in monitoring the effects of immunomodulatory therapies on the immune system. With a specific focus on the analysis of antigen-specific immune responses, mainly CD4+ T cells and B cells, as the function of these cells is crucial for the efficacy of immunotherapeutic approaches such as vaccinations or tolerizing therapies and pathologies, such as their role in RBC alloimmunization.
I am workpackage leader of the centralized immunomonitoring package of EU H2020 RESTORE (Neuronal self-renewal by antigen-specific tolerization in multiple sclerosis reinstalling the balance between inflammation and regeneration), in which 2 clinical trials are conducted in which tolerogenic dendritic cells are applied to MS patients. Besides we participate currently in the immunomonitoring workpackages of 2 national consortia, Target2B and DC4balance.