Jeroen Carlier (DVM)

The focus of this research project will be on canine mast cell tumors. This is one of the most common skin cancers in dogs. The project aims to better understand the different components and the behavior (growth and metastasis) of this tumor to eventually link this to the final outcome, the survival time of the dog. The results will help clinicians globally with their diagnosis, grading and prognosis of canine mast cell tumors. The methods to obtain these results could potentially be extrapolated to the diagnosis of other tumors in other species such as humans.
Different parameters such as degree of proliferation and differentiation of these cells & metastasis to other organs define the gradation and thus the prognosis for the dog. With histology we will use a marker (c-kit) to highlight these proliferating and differentiating mast cells in the tumor of origin, in the metastatic/draining lymph nodes and in the immune environment (inflammation within and around the tumor) of the tumor. To quantify these cells and to obtain an overview of the distribution of all components (mast cells, inflammation, …) in the tumor, we will use artificial intelligence as a replacement for the human eye. 
Additionally, we will try to find biomarkers to predict the potential malignancy of the tumors in an early stage.  
 

In 2018, I graduated as a veterinarian at Ghent University in Belgium with a specific interest in pathology. Over the course of 3 years I developed my knowledge and skills in gross pathology and histopathology through internships in several institutions such as Liége University (BE), Utrecht University (NL) and The Marine Mammal Center (US) and at pathology laboratories such as DGZ Vlaanderen (BE) and AML (BE). At the latter, I learned to diagnose and grade numerous mast cell tumors by gross and histological evaluation. 
From 2021 to present, I worked on a Baekeland PhD project that was granted by VLAIO after approval by a jury of experts. During this project we evaluated, histologically and ultrasonographically, the immune response to subcutaneously implanted biomaterials in the context of continuous glucose monitoring for type 1 diabetes management where I gained knowledge and skills on marking and quantifying multiple inflammatory cells, manually and by using artificial intelligence.
 

• Lab address: Department of Morphology, Salisburylaan 133, ingang 22/78, 9820 Merelbeke 
• LinkedIn
• Jeroen Carlier is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks