prof. Koen Venken (PhD)
Team leader - Translational Rheumatology and Immunology Lab – VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research
Senior staff Scientist - Molecular Immunology and Inflammation Unit – VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research
Assistant Professor - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - UGent
Research focus
Our team has a longstanding interest in immunology in general and specifically T cell biology, also beyond the traditional spectrum of adaptive immune cells. As part of our research we focus on innate-like T cells, particularly CD1d- and MR1- restricted T cells such as respectively invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells responding to non-peptide ligands and non-TCR stimulation. These cells have the capacity upon activation to rapidly release copious amounts of cytokines affecting a wide range of innate and adaptive immune responses, therefore playing a potential protective role in anti-tumor immunity. Our work has contributed to the understanding of iNKT and MAIT cell biology in multiple myeloma and has provided new insights in the concept of anergy impeding innate-like T cell-based immunotherapy. Moreover, we identified and characterized novel endogenous immunogenic lipids generated by ER stress driven mechanisms in human and mouse cells, potentially relevant in cancer development.
Research team
- Tine Decruy - technician
- Teddy Manuello - technician
Key publications
- Lipidomic scanning of self-lipids identifies headless antigens for natural killer T cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 2024 (PMID: 39141352)
- Tregs protect against invariant NKT cell-mediated autoimmune colitis and hepatitis. Immunology 2024 (PMID: 37984469)
- MAIT Cells Come to the Rescue in Cancer Immunotherapy? Cancers 2020 (PMID: 32053875)
- Checkpoint inhibition in the treatment of multiple myeloma: A way to boost innate-like T cell anti-tumor function?' Molecular Immunology 2018 (PMID: 30153633)
- Leptin receptor antagonism of iNKT cell function: a novel strategy to combat multiple myeloma. Leukemia, 2017. (PMID: 28490813)
- Both mucosal-associated invariant and natural killer T-cell deficiency in multiple myeloma can be countered by PD-1 inhibition'. Haematologica, 2017. (PMID: 28385777)
- Does an NKT-cell-based immunotherapeutic approach have a future in multiple myeloma?. Oncotarget, 2016. (PMID: 26895468)
- Enhanced TCR footprint by a novel glycolipid increases NKT-dependent tumor protection. Journal of immunology, 2013. (PMID: 23960235)
- Preclinical evaluation of invariant natural killer T cells in the 5T33 multiple myeloma model'. PLoS One, 2013 (PMID: 23741460)
- Galactose-modified iNKT cell agonists stabilized by an induced fit of CD1d prevent tumour metastasis'. The EMBO journal, 2011. (PMID: 21552205)
Contact & links
- Lab address: Medical research building 2 (entrance 38), Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Gent
- Translational Rheumatology and Immunology Lab
- Prof. Venken is interested to receive invitations for talks or presentations