Consortium for Sarcoma Research Ghent (ConSaRGhent)

Mission

Sarcoma is a rare cancer that accounts for 1.7% of cancer diagnoses in adults. It is more common in children, where 13% of cancer diagnoses are sarcomas. Over 70 different subtypes have been identified, making it one of the most diverse groups of cancer. This combination of rarity and heterogeneity poses a therapeutic problem. Over the past decades, treatment options have remained similar and survival rates have only increased marginally. The response rate to systemic therapy is low, with median overall survival of metastatic sarcoma patients of only 15 months.

In companion dogs, sarcomas account for 15% of the canine cancers, and are more prevalent in middle-age to old, medium to large-breed dogs. Twenty percent of the sarcomas occur in bone tissue, while 80% represent soft tissue sarcomas. Most of the sarcoma subtypes that are identified in humans are also represented in companion dogs.

At Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, several researchers are joining forces to optimize sarcoma research. Different research groups are included, creating the opportunity to investigate and compare several in-vitro and in-vivo/ex-vivo sarcoma models. Both genetically modified animal models and patient-derived models are being explored. Furthermore, the patient-derived models are not only created from human patients, but also from companion animals with sarcoma. This cross-species approach could lead towards new insights in sarcoma research due to the similar tumour biology, similar treatment options and faster clinical trials in dogs compared to humans. We established a clinical flow that allows us to biobank living sarcoma tissue from humans and companion dogs, from which we can create patient-derived xenografts and cell cultures for a variety of sarcoma subtypes. Our clinical flow includes the cryopreservation of plasma samples as well, that can be used for biomarker discovery in liquid biopsies.

With ConSaRGhent, we aim to improve multidisciplinary research on sarcoma. A variety of both clinical and translational researchers that are specialized in different fields are part of the team. This collaboration will elevate our research with as most important aim to improve our understanding of sarcoma biology and outcomes in both human and veterinary patients. 
 

Team

• Shari Aerts - Laboratory of Veterinary Morphology (Ghent University)
• Marthe Boelens - Laboratory of Developmental Biology (Ghent University)
• Dr. Laetitia Cicchelero (PhD) - coordinator Cross-Health platform (Ghent University)
• Dr. Fleur Cordier (MD) - Department of pathology (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. David Creytens (MD, PhD) – Department of pathology (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. Hilde de Rooster (DVM, PhD) – Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery (Ghent University)
• Prof. Ward De Spiegelaere (PhD) - Laboratory of Veterinary Morphology (Ghent University)
• Prof. Olivier De Wever (PhD) – Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research (Ghent University)
• Prof. Bram De Wilde (MD, PhD) – Pediatric hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. Catharina Dhooge (MD, PhD) – Pediatric hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation (Ghent University Hospital)
• Dr. Desirée Dorleijn (MD, PhD) - Orthopedic surgery (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. Kaat Durinck (PhD) - Pediatric Precision Oncology Lab Ghent (Ghent University)
• Dr. Suzanne Fischer (MD) – Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research (Ghent University)
• Dr. Stefanie Gijsels (MD) – Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research (Ghent University)
• Prof. An Hendrix (PhD) - Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research (Ghent University)
• Dr. Celine Jacobs (MD) - Department of Oncology (Ghent University Hospital)
• Dr. Deyna Keppens (MD) - Pediatric Precision Oncology Lab Ghent (Ghent University)
• Prof. Lore Lapeire (MD, PhD) – Department of Oncology (Ghent University Hospital)
• Dr. Siebe Loontiens (PhD) – Molecular Diagnostics (Ghent University Hospital)
• Dr. Lucas Matthyssens (MD) – Gastro-Intestinal Surgery (Ghent University Hospital)
• Dr. Liselot Mus (PhD) – TEARDRoP Oncology Coördinator (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. Gwen Sys (MD, PhD) – Orthopedic surgery (Ghent University Hospital)
• Dr. Joni Van der Meulen (PhD) – Molecular Diagnostics (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. Gabriëlle Van Ramshorst (MD, PhD) – Gastro-Intestinal Surgery (Ghent University Hospital)
• Prof. Nadine Van Roy (PhD) - Department of Biomolecular Medicine (Ghent University)
• Sofie Vercammen (DVM) – Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery (Ghent University)
• Prof. Kris Vleminckx (PhD) – Laboratory of Developmental Biology (Ghent University)