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
- dr. Jeffrey Aalders (PhD)
- Shari Aerts
- Julie Andries
- dr. Vanessa Andries (PhD)
- Korneel Barbry
- Gillian Blancke
- Anna Blockeel
- Marthe Boelens
- dr. Lena Boehme (PhD)
- dr. Sarah Bonte (PhD)
- Fleur Boone
- prof. Tom Boterberg (MD, PhD)
- Amber Boutens
- Julie Braet
- dr. Claudia Mariela Brenis Gomez (MD)
- dr. Junho Byun (PhD)
- Jeroen Carlier
- dr. Elena Catanzaro (PhD)
- dr. Yong Chen (PhD)
- Maarten Ciers
- dr. Arne Claeys (PhD)
- dr. Danielle Clancy (PhD)
- Alyssa Cnudde
- Catarina Cruz Vaz
- dr. Willem Daneels (MD)
- Sara De Brée
- Chloë De Clercq
- Laurenz De Cock
- dr. Emiel De Jaeghere (MD, PhD)
- dr. Stijn De Munter (PhD)
- Sofia de Penning Aguilar
- Laure De Pryck
- Saskia De Smet
- dr. Anton De Spiegeleer (MD, PhD)
- Margo De Velder
- dr. Robrecht De Vos (MD)
- Zenzi De Vos
- Arthur Declercq
- dr. Annelies Demeyer (PhD)
- Robin Demuynck
- dr. Lucas Deseins (MD)
- dr. Mamadou Amadou Diallo (PhD)
- Sam Ernst
- Diogo Estevao
- dr. Nele Festjens (PhD)
- Sergio Garcia Sanchez
- dr. Vivian Gerretsen (MD)
- Oriane Gillon
- Glenn Goetgeluk
- Niké Guilbert
- Ragna Haegebaert
- Laure Harinck
- Lauren Herron
- dr. Lander Heyerick (MD)
- Wout Houbart
- Tingyu Hu
- Alessandro Idrovo
- Renske Imschoot
- dr. Joline Ingels (PhD)
- Maude Jans
- prof. Sophie Janssens (PhD)
- dr. Zahra Kayani (PhD)
- dr. Nicolas Kint (MD, PhD)
- Eileen Lambrechts
- 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)
- prof. Ann Martens (DVM, PhD)
- Ramiro Martinez
- Alexandre Merchiers (DVM)
- Thomas Michiels
- Anne Muyllaert
- dr. Thomas Naert (PhD)
- Faye Naessens
- Truong Nguyen
- dr. Nicole Oatman (PhD)
- Seoyeon Oh
- dr. Marjolein Orije (PhD)
- Silke Paepens
- Eva Pascal
- dr. Ioanna Petta (PhD)
- Ginés Pons-Marti
- dr. João P Portela Catani (PhD)
- dr. Jana Ramon (PhD)
- dr. Sofie Rennen (PhD)
- dr. Michael Saerens (MD)
- Robbe Salembier
- Mariia Saviuk
- Ellen Saeys
- dr. Martijn Schuijs (PhD)
- Wouter Sleeckx
- Ji-Yoon Sohn
- Brecht Soulliaert
- dr. Mathieu Spaas (MD)
- dr. Jonas Steenbrugge (PhD)
- Xiaolu Ruby Sun
- Marie Thorp
- dr. Wim Trypsteen (PhD)
- dr. Laurens Van Camp (MD)
- Carolien Van Damme
- dr. Eufra Van Damme (MD)
- Elias Van De Vijver
- dr. Thomas Van Den Berghe (MD, PhD)
- Pascal Van Der Meulen
- Yana Van Droogenbroeck
- dr. Annelies Van Hemelryk (MD, PhD)
- Karo Van Lil
- dr. Sandra Van Lint (PhD)
- Judith van Ovost
- dr. Sophie Van Welden (PhD)
- dr. Niels Vandamme (PhD)
- Amélie Vander Cruyssen
- Sophie Vanhercke
- Jolien Vanhooren
- Imke Velghe
- dr. Rein Verbeke (PhD)
- dr. Tijl Vermassen (PhD)
- Aaron Verplancke
- dr. Hanne Verschuere (PhD)
- Febe Vertriest
- Petra Vrdoljak
- Hue Vu
- dr. Wannes Weyts (PhD)
- Laura Wyckaert
- Huan Yan
- dr. Kaiyi Zhang (PhD)
- dr. Zifu Zhong (PhD)