Olivia Van der Sypt

Approximately half of all patients battling cancer worldwide receive X-ray radiotherapy (XRT) with curative intent. A crucial component of XRT’s therapeutic efficacy is its ability to activate the adaptive immune system through a process known as immunogenic cell death (ICD). The emergence of the concept of ICD has opened new avenues for anticancer strategies, particularly combination therapies integrating XRT with immunotherapy. However, many patients show little or no benefit to these checkpoint inhibitors, emphasizing the need for alternative strategies to effectively stimulate anti-tumor immunity. While XRT has strong immunostimulatory potential, the influence of the tumor microenvironment remains a critical determinant of treatment outcome. Notably, we have found that lipid peroxidation, a feature of ferroptosis, and its associated processes is linked with impaired antigen cross-presentation capacity of dendritic cells. My research aims to elucidate the role of lipid metabolism during XRT and its consequences for immune activation. Ultimately, using experimental cancer models, this work seeks to determine whether lipid pathways can be modulated to shape a tumor microenvironment that promotes effective anti-tumor immune responses and boost the therapeutic efficacy of XRT.
 

• Master of Science in Biochemistry and Biotechnology
   

• Lab address: VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052 Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium
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• Olivia Van der Sypt is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks