Sofie Rennen
Doctoral fellow – Laboratory for ER Stress and Inflammation – VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research
Principal Investigator: prof. Sophie Janssens (PhD)
Research focus
Dendritic cells continuously capture and present antigens to T cells and as such form a cornerstone in immunotherapy. Depending on the environment and how they perceive the antigen, dendritic cells will present it in an immunogenic or a tolerogenic manner, affecting either the activation of T cells or the induction of tolerance.
Our research group is currently focusing on elucidating the signals that drive tolerogenic maturation. Unraveling the communication between matured dendritic cells and T cells is crucial to improve current immunotherapies. Additionally, our research group is investigating the role of an ER stress sensor called IRE1, as this sensor is active in cDC1s, a subset of dendritic cells important for crosspresentation of antigens to T cells. IRE1 is a highly studied target for cancer therapy, especially for its role in tumor cells. How targeting its function affects dendritic cells is poorly understood.
Contact & links
- Lab address: VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium
- Janssens lab