0000-0003-1255-8071 About
I am a dedicated immuno-oncologist with over 20 years of experience in cancer research, focusing on the development and evaluation of immunotherapeutic treatments for various cancers, including gynecological cancers, glioblastoma, and melanoma. Currently, I work as an Assistant Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and a Principal Research Scientist at UZ Brussel, where I am involved in both academic research and clinical trials.
My research has focused on cancer vaccines, CAR-T cell therapies, immune checkpoint blockade therapies, and understanding the immune resistance mechanisms that challenge cancer treatments. I have coordinated multi-center clinical trials and led several immunological research projects aimed at improving therapeutic outcomes for patients.
I have secured several research grants and have collaborated on national and international projects. Furthermore, I have also been responsible for preparing submission documents to obtain ethical and regulatory approval for investigator-initiated clinical trials. In addition to my research work, I enjoy mentoring physicians, PhD students and Master’s students, helping them develop their scientific careers.
I also contribute to the academic community by publishing my work in high-impact journals, by serving as an editor and reviewer for scientific journals and funding agencies, and I regularly present my research at conferences. My goal is to continue advancing the field of cancer immunotherapy and to contribute to the development of new treatments that can make a real difference in patients' lives.
Employment
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UZ Brussel2020 - 2025
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KU Leuven2009 - 2020
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Education
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel PhD in Medical Sciences1999 - 2007
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel Master in Biomedical sciences1997 - 1999
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences1995 - 1997
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (84)
- Reinvigorating the Cancer-Immunity Cycle by Intratumoral Administration of Conventional Dendritic Cells in Melanoma and Other Solid Tumors: A Narrative Review Save
- Circulating immune cell profiling in advanced cervical and endometrial cancer patients treated with PD-1 blockade, radiotherapy, and immune modulation in the PRIMMO trial Save
- Efficacy and safety of regorafenib in patients with advanced pretreated melanoma Save
- Spatial Mapping of CD276 (B7-H3) in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma indicates predominant Expression in Basal-like Tumor Ducts and αSMA⁺ Stromal Cells proximal to Tumor Epithelial Cells Save
- Oncolytic HSV-1 expressing FLT3L kills melanoma, glioblastoma, and pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and induces immunogenic cell death Save
- A phase I clinical trial on combined (neo-)adjuvant intravenous plus intracranial administration of ipilimumab and nivolumab in recurrent glioblastoma (NEOGLITIPNI). Save
- Immunohistochemical and gene expression profiles as predictors of survival in recurrent high-grade glioma treated with intracranial nivolumab, ipilimumab, and autologous CD1c(BDCA-1)+/CD141(BDCA-3)+ myeloid dendritic cells (myDC) Save
- A phase I clinical trial on combined (neo-) adjuvant intravenous plus intracranial administration of ipilimumab and nivolumab in recurrent glioblastoma (NEO-GLITIPNI). Save
- Preclinical evaluation of antigen-sensitive B7-H3-targeting nanobody-based CAR-T cells in glioblastoma cautions for on-target, off-tumor toxicity Save
- Intratumoral administration of the immunologic adjuvant AS01B in combination with autologous CD1c (BDCA-1)+/CD141 (BDCA-3)+ myeloid dendritic cells plus ipilimumab and intravenous nivolumab in patients with refractory advanced melanoma Save