Newsletter I&I nieuws
Newsletter I&I nieuws
Jul 3: Progressive pulmonary fibrosis in connective tissue disease
The PhD research by Yu-Hsiang Chiu (UMC Utrecht) provided provides valuable insights for risk assessment, biomarker identification, and potential treatment strategies for patients with connective tissue disease-associated instertitial lung disease. For example, decreases in disease biomarkers such CXCL11, CTGF and KL-6 were associated with improved pulmonary outcomes.
Read moreJun 26: Natalie Mazur receives Longfonds grant for RSV vaccine research
Natalie Mazur, MD PhD (Department of Pediatrics) has received a Junior Investigator Grant of 200,000 euro from the Dutch Longfonds to investigate how the RS-virus infects people and if a cheap and easy to apply vaccine would be able prevent such an infection.
Read moreJun 21: Medical imaging provides better insight in psoriatic arthritis
The studies presented in the PhD thesis of Nienke Kleinrensink (UMC Utrecht) show – with the help of medical imaging - that subclinical disease is common at the site where tendons and ligaments attach to the bone in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. In addition, the inflammatory reaction in psoriatic arthritis may also involve non-musculoskeletal organs such as the arterial wall.
Read moreJun 17: Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infections and endocarditis
In his PhD thesis, Thomas van der Vaart (Amsterdam UMC and UMC Utrecht) described features of Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infections in a multicenter study in the Netherlands and described which patient and disease factors pose an increased risk for endocarditis, a serious complication of the disease.
Read moreJun 8: New approaches in T cell-based immunotherapies in oncology
In his PhD thesis, Angelo Meringa (UMC Utrecht) describes the mechanisms that influence the efficacy of T cell immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and demonstrates that modulation of these mechanisms has the potential to improve treatment efficacy.
Read moreApril 29: Novel Insights and Strategies for Advanced T cell-based Immunotherapies
In her PhD thesis, Astrid Cleven (UMC Utrecht) and colleagues aimed to improve engineered T cell therapies, with a focus on T cells engineered to express a defined γδ T Cell receptor (TEGs).
Read moreApril 30: Optimizing HIV treatment and monitoring beyond virologic suppression
PhD research by Patrick Oomen (UMC Utrecht) revealed that there may be remarkable differences in research outcomes between formal clinical trials and real-world settings. In this context, it remains important to include real-world outcomes to continue to optimize HIV care to enhance the quality of life for those living with HIV.
Read moreMar 5: Newly discovered bacterial species named after Rob Willems
Investigators from the worldwide Enterococcus Diversity Consortium collected 886 enterococcal strains from widely diverse hosts, ecologies, and geographies. This study identified 18 previously undescribed species which were named after renowned investigators in the enterococci field, amongst these prof. Rob Willems, PhD (Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht). This newly discovered enterococcus species (found in chickens) is named Enterococcus willemsii.
Read moreJan 9: Unraveling the role of immune inhibitory receptors for the treatment of cancer
The work in the PhD thesis of Akashdip Singh (UMC Utrecht) contributes to a better understanding of immune inhibitory receptors for the treatment of cancer and outlines key considerations for the development of therapies targeting LAIR-1 and novel inhibitory receptors as cancer immunotherapy.
Read moreDec 21: A layered approach of response to treatment in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
A new biological medicine, tofacitinib, is effective in patients with psoriasis, but only in those with higher IFN-γ levels. In addition, systemic corticosteroids may be a safe option in psoriasis as there is no evidence of an increased risk of flare-ups. Predictive factors of treatment success of methotrexate in atopic dermatitis are not generalizable to psoriasis. These were the main conclusions of the PhD work by Nanetter Vincken (UMC Utrecht) who defended her thesis on December 20, 2023.
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