Fran Leijnen
Doctoral fellow – Lab for Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation (UGent, UZGent)
Doctoral fellow – Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics (UGent)
Principal investigator: prof. Tim Lammens (PhD)
Research focus
Pediatric T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) represents an aggressive hematologic malignancy originating from immature T-lymphocytes. Currently, T-LBL patients are treated using protocols developed for T-ALL, which have improved 5-year event-free survival rates to approximately 85%. However, relapse occurs in about 20% of cases, and the chances of successful treatment after relapse are extremely low, with salvage rates around 15%. Therefore, T-LBL is largely a disease of one chance. Due to the poor prognosis after relapse and the lack of clinically relevant high-risk genetic markers, there is a clear unmet need for the identification of molecular risk factors and prognostic biomarkers in T-LBL. Additionally, there is a pressing need for new therapeutic strategies that are both effective and less toxic. Recently, a previously unknown high-risk biological subgroup of T-LBL patients was discovered, characterized by NOTCH1 gene fusions. My PhD project aims to investigate the molecular consequences of these NOTCH1 fusions by applying a comprehensive multi-omics approach, integrating genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data, in a well-defined patient cohort. In parallel, genetically engineered murine pro-T cell models and patient-derived xenografts will be developed to functionally study the impact of NOTCH1 fusions in vivo. Through this strategy, I seek to advance our understanding of T-LBL pathobiology and contribute to improved patient risk stratification and treatment development.
Biography
- 2025-Present: PhD candidate in Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University
- 2023-2025: Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, Ghent University
- 2020-2023: Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, Ghent University
- 2014-2020: Science-Mathematics, Sint-Lievenscollege Ghent
Contact & links
- Lab Address: Campus UZ Gent, entrance 10, route 1034, 9000 Gent (secretariaat Pediatrische Hematologie-Oncologie)
- Lab for pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- ORCID ID
- Fran Leijnen is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks