dr. Tijl Vermassen (PhD)

My research topics are glycomics, and tumor immunology.
Firstly, glycomics are a very interesting topic as aberrant glycosylation is a typical feature in cancer. Glycomics can therefore be applied as biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of various cancer types. The major advantage about this biomarker is that it can be measured in various body fluids or even on tissue. Currently, we are exploring the use of N-glycosylation as diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer (collaboration with VIB-UGent [unit Nico Callewaert] and Leiden University Medical Center). The objective is to develop a test that can be implemented in routine clinical practice in the near future.
Secondly, a great deal of interest is going into tumor immunology and how this tumor micro-environment can modify the response to targeted therapies, e.g. immunotherapy with check-point inhibitors. Therefore, we are conducting innovative research into describing the tumor micro-environment of various solid carcinoma (special focus on kidney cancer, head- and neck cancer and melanoma) in order to identify novel biomarkers that can have diagnostic or therapeutic potential. In this matter, we apply pathological approaches (immunohistochemistry), genetic testing (DNA and RNA sequencing) as well as protein biochemistry (e.g. haptoglobin polymorphism).

• dr. Mathieu Struys (MD) - doctoral fellow (administrative promotor: prof. Wouter Huvenne)
   

• Concordance, Correlation, and Clinical Impact of Standardized PD-L1 and TIL Scoring in SCCHN. Cancers (Basel). 2022;14(10):2431. doi: 10.3390/cancers14102431.
• Prognostic Features of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Following Primary Radical Prostatectomy. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(23):6034. doi: 10.3390/cancers13236034.
• An open-label, nonrandomized, phase Ib feasibility study of cusatuzumab in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Clin Transl Sci. 2021;14(6):2300-2313. doi: 10.1111/cts.13089.
• Immuno-Oncological Biomarkers for Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck: Current State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(7):1714. doi: 10.3390/cancers13071714.
• Brain Metastasis and Renal Cell Carcinoma: Prognostic Scores Assessment in the Era of Targeted Therapies. Anticancer Res. 2019;39(6):2993-3002. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.13431.
• N-Linked Glycosylation and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(7):1592. doi: 10.3390/ijms20071592.
• Importance of choice of materials and methods in PD-L1 and TIL assessment in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Histopathology. 2018;73(3):500-509. doi: 10.1111/his.13650.
• Neither creatinine- nor cystatin C-estimated glomerular filtration rate is optimal in oncology patients treated with targeted agents. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2018;33(3):402-408. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfx063.
• Urinary prostate protein glycosylation profiling as a diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer. Prostate. 2015;75(3):314-22. doi: 10.1002/pros.22918.
• Glycosylation of prostate specific antigen and its potential diagnostic applications. Clin Chim Acta. 2012;413(19-20):1500-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2012.06.007.
   

• Address: Department Medical Oncology, UZ Gent, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 50, route 535, 9000 Gent
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• Tijl Vermassen is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks.