dr. Andreas Huysman (MD)

While cancer treatment has made large strides forward, many challenges remain. In head and neck cancer, one such challenges is treatment of metastatic and relapsed disease. Immunotherapy is an important treatment option, but many patients progress still. Targeted radionuclide therapy holds promise in becoming a valid treatment option for many cancer types including head and neck cancer, and might synergise with immunotherapy. However, many questions remain unanswered pertaining the tumour microenvironmental, vascular and immunological effects of these treatments.

Our research focusses on a murine head and neck cancer model and will assess these changes on a proteomic and transcriptomic changes evoked both systemically and inside the tumour micro-environment. We will additionally expand the use of intravital microscopy to this tumour model in order to assess in vivo immunological and vascular spatiotemporal changes upon radioligand treatment.

Specific interest goes to T-cell subpopulations and innate-like T-cells in these tumours. Despite indications that these strongly affect tumour development, progression and treatment response, these have not been systematically investigated in head and neck cancers. 
 

Andreas Huysman graduated from the University of Ghent in 2023 as a medical doctor. The following year, he pursued an additional master’s degree at the University of Oxford in fundamental and applied immunology, which he completed with merit in 2024 with a master’s thesis on the effects of type 2 diabetes on T-cell activation kinetics. This involved optimisation and application of flow cytometric assessment of activation markers, nutrient transporters and proliferation markers in T-cells.

Beyond this, Andreas has been heavily involved in science communication throughout both degrees and beyond. This started out as writing for Factcheck.Vlaanderen, one of only three IFNC-certified factchecking organisations in Flanders, mostly on vaccine and cancer misinformation. Later, this evolved into giving trainings to journalists on scientific factchecking. Andreas also presenting at the 2025 young Belgian Immunology Society Annual Meeting on the importance of science communication for immunologists. Currently, Andreas still holds an advisory role in Factcheck.Vlaanderen and is consulted by journalists from other news organisations for advice on scientific factchecking.
 

• Lab address: Department Medical Oncology, UZ Gent, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 50, route 535, 9000 Gent
• X (former Twitter)
• Andreas Huysman is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks