Cancer immunology and immunotherapy
The (malfunctioning of the) immune system plays an important role in cancer development and growth. On the other hand, researchers recently discovered that it is possible to reprogram a patient’s own immune system in such a way that it starts attacking cancer cells. The role of the immune system in cancer development and the new possibilities generated by the insights that the immune system can be reprogrammed are extensively studied. Recent breakthroughs were also generated at the clinical level. Promising results of clinical trials using amongst others immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T-cell therapy indeed confirm the numerous insights that were provided by fundamental research. Immunotherapy will become a significant part of the arsenal of treatments for solid as well as hematological tumors.
Within Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital and VIB-UGent, research initiatives concerning cancer immunology and immunotherapy are quickly expanding. The Immuno-Oncological Network (ION) Ghent is a subnetwork associated with CRIG specifically aiming to stimulate research on cancer immunology and immunotherapy, and to gather and share clinical expertise. Ghent University Hospital already has a cell therapy production-unit available, as well as an on-site phase I trial unit, and strong expertise concerning biobanking.
Read more about ION and CRIG researchers (at the fundamental, translational and clinical level) involved in cancer immunology and immunotherapy below.
CRIG group leaders
Other CRIG members
- Shari Aerts
- Julie Andries
- dr. Vanessa Andries (PhD)
- Korneel Barbry
- Gillian Blancke
- Marthe Boelens
- dr. Delfien Bogaert (MD, PhD)
- dr. Sarah Bonte (PhD)
- Fleur Boone
- prof. Tom Boterberg (MD, PhD)
- Amber Boutens
- prof. Kevin Braeckmans (PhD)
- Julie Braet
- dr. Claudia Mariela Brenis Gomez (MD)
- dr. Elena Catanzaro (PhD)
- dr. Yong Chen (PhD)
- dr. Danielle Clancy (PhD)
- dr. Willem Daneels (MD)
- Chloë De Clercq
- Laurenz De Cock
- dr. Emiel De Jaeghere (MD)
- Stijn De Munter
- Laure De Pryck
- Saskia De Smet
- prof. Ward De Spiegelaere (PhD)
- dr. Anton De Spiegeleer (MD, PhD)
- Margo De Velder
- Zenzi De Vos
- dr. Helena Degroote (MD, PhD)
- dr. Annelies Demeyer (PhD)
- Robin Demuynck
- dr. Lucas Deseins (MD)
- Iuliia Efimova
- Yanou Engelen
- Sam Ernst
- Diogo Estevao
- dr. Nele Festjens (PhD)
- dr. Zhouhong Ge (PhD)
- dr. Vivian Gerretsen (MD)
- Oriane Gillon
- Glenn Goetgeluk
- Marie Goossens
- dr. Srinath Govindarajan (PhD)
- Niké Guilbert
- Ragna Haegebaert
- Laure Harinck
- Lauren Herron
- Tingyu Hu
- Renske Imschoot
- Joline Ingels
- Maude Jans
- dr. Nicolas Kint (MD, PhD)
- dr. Sander Lefere (MD, PhD)
- dr. Ine Lentacker (PhD)
- dr. Lien Lippens (PhD)
- dr. Benoit Louage (PhD)
- dr. Tania Love Aaes (PhD)
- prof. Jonathan Maelfait (PhD)
- Alvaro Marcos Rubio
- Ramiro Martinez
- Anne Muyllaert
- Faye Naessens
- dr. Daniel Nagy (MD)
- Truong Nguyen
- dr. Nicole Oatman (PhD)
- dr. Marjolein Orije (PhD)
- Eva Pascal
- Eva Persyn
- dr. Ioanna Petta (PhD)
- Laure Pieters
- dr. Tim Pieters (PhD)
- dr. João P Portela Catani (PhD)
- dr. Jana Ramon (PhD)
- Sofie Rennen
- Tom Roggeman
- Quentin Roux
- dr. Michael Saerens (MD)
- Mariia Saviuk
- dr. Martijn Schuijs (PhD)
- dr. Mathieu Spaas (MD)
- dr. Jonas Steenbrugge (PhD)
- dr. Mathieu Struys (MD)
- Alexandra Thiran
- Marie Thorp
- dr. Wim Trypsteen (PhD)
- dr. Laurens Van Camp (MD)
- Carolien Van Damme
- dr. Eufra Van Damme (MD)
- Elias Van De Vijver
- dr. Simon Van Herck (PhD)
- Jan Van Landeghem
- dr. Sandra Van Lint (PhD)
- Judith van Ovost
- dr. Sophie Van Welden (PhD)
- dr. Niels Vandamme (PhD)
- Amélie Vander Cruyssen
- Jolien Vanhooren
- dr. Rein Verbeke (PhD)
- dr. Tijl Vermassen (PhD)
- dr. Hanne Verschuere (PhD)
- Febe Vertriest
- Hue Vu
- dr. Wannes Weyts (PhD)
- Laura Wyckaert
- dr. Zifu Zhong (PhD)