dr. Jelle Vandersteene (MD, PhD)

CRIG member
Jelle Vandersteene


Neurosurgeon – Department of Neurosurgery UZ Gent
Principal Investigator: prof. Robrecht Raedt (PhD) 
 

Research focus

The topic of our research is brain tumor cell motility. Currently we focus on pediatric and adult type high grade glioma (HGG). HGG cells are known to infiltrate and migrate outside the visible tumor margins, sometimes even to distant locations within the brain, i.e. the subventricular zone (SVZ). These migratory cells cannot be targeted by local therapy which is limited by anatomical constraints (eloquent brain).
We aim to understand the cues for HGG cell migration as HGG cell motility may provide an opportunity. By synthetically administering migratory cues, tumor cells can be misled to a location of choice and there targeted by local therapy. In short, the tumor is attracted to be killed, a principle that we named ‘motility trapping’.
For this project, we closely collaborate with the research team of Prof. Robrecht Raedt (4Brain lab).
 

Biography

Dr. Jelle Vandersteene is a certified neurosurgeon since 2018 and part of the neurosurgical team at the Ghent University hospital  since 2019. He has a special interest in (pediatric) neuro-oncology and is chairman of the multidisciplinary neuro-oncology consultation.
Dr. Vandersteene is a member of the Belgian Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (BSPHO), the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) and the Belgian Association for Neuro-Oncology (BANO).
 

Contact & links