B cell malignancies
Apoptosis, CAR T cells, Myeloma
Research aim
Our research aim is to control cellular life and death decisions to improve treatment of B cell cancers and allow T cell immunotherapy for untreatable cancers.
About us
The background of our research concerns cell death regulation in T and B lymphocytes. With previous interests and expertise we developed two main research lines; 1) targeting malignant B cells to improve patient treatment and 2) designing an enhanced killing machinery for engineered T or NK cells. We work in close collaboration between the center for translational immunology (CTI) and hematology department at the UMC Utrecht and combine fundamental research questions with (pre)clinical implementation. Our main focus relates to improving treatment of the incurable plasma cell malignancy multiple myeloma (MM), but we also focus on other B cell malignancies including classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Next to combination therapy with small molecule inhibitors we employ different strategies to enhance effectivity of cellular immunotherapy. As a means to achieve this we use biochemical & cell engineering approaches, animal models and 3D culture with primary material.