Warre Dhondt
PhD fellow fundamental research - FWO
Doctoral fellow
- Unit for Structural Biology - VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research
- Unit for Structural Biology - Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, UGent
- Center for Molecular Modelling – Faculty of Sciences, UGent
Principal investigator: prof. Savvas Savvides (PhD)
Research focus
Cells receive growth-stimulating signals from their environment through various pathways, including via cell surface receptors. My work focuses on one such receptor, Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK), which is a receptor tyrosine kinase that normally plays a role in neural development and energy expenditure regulation. Aberrant ALK activation is an oncogenic driver in several cancers, including anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), neuroblastoma, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The current models of ALK activation by ALKAL2 are limited to the extracellular cytokine-binding domains of ALK. Thus, we are far from completely understanding how ALK complexes translate extracellular cytokine binding into intracellular signaling. My work aims to study the structure of the entire ALK receptor and how it is activated by its ligands, ALKAL2 and glycosaminoglycans. This will provide a mechanistic blueprint for ALK activation, which will facilitate its study in disease and therapeutic targeting.
Biography
- Master of Science in Biochemistry/Biotechnology
Contact & links
- Savvas Savvides lab
- Lab address: VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium
- Warre Dhondt is interested to receive invitations for talks and presentations