Stichting tegen Kanker 2025 postdoctoral grant for Dr. Annelies Van Hemelryk

CRIG researcher Dr. Annelies Van Hemelryk received a postdoctoral mandate form the Stichting tegen Kanker, for the project "The tumor microenvironment (TME) of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma is dominated by macrophages, immune cells implicated in immune suppression and tumor progression". 

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer that is often agressive. Targeting macrophages (a type of immune cells), in combination with therapies that directly target tumor cells, represents a promising strategy to enhance treatment response, prevent drug resistance, and improve patient outcomes. However, developing such strategies requires an in-depth understanding of the macrophage compartment in neuroblastoma. During this STK mandate, Dr. Van Hemelryk aims to unravel the spatial niches and functional roles of macrophages in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. This knowledge will guide the development of targeted therapies that specifically inhibit, deplete, or reprogram those macrophage subsets involved in immune suppression and tumor progression

Of note, in 2024 CRIG awarded Dr. Van Hemelryk with a 'young investigator proof-of-concept' grant to perform spatial profiling of macrophage heterogeneity in neuroblastoma (read more).

Thanks to the grant I received from CRIG, I was able to generate important and convincing first data that certainly helped me to obtain my postdoctoral mandate at Stichting tegen Kanker.     

Funding for such ‘young investigator proof-of-concept’ (YIPOC) grants is provided by CRIG and vzw Kinderkankerfonds through a strategic partnership, and thanks to the support of many donors!