I am a pathologist by training with a strong background in clinical hematopathology and basic research. In my MD thesis (RWTH Aachen, Germany), I focused on cellular plasticity and tissue engineering of skin and continued independent research projects in parallel to my residency/fellowship in Pathology with focus on the role of the microenvironment in myeloid malignancies but also chronic kidney disease (2008-2012). I performed my post-doc (after MD qualification) in Ben Ebert‘s lab at Harvard Medical School from 2012-2015. After my postdoctoral fellowship, I returned to Aachen to finish my fellowship in Pathology, and started my own independent research laboratory at Erasmus MC. In parallel to running my laboratory at Erasmus MC, I finalized my PhD (conducted at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA and Erasmus MC, Rotterdam).
My primary focus is disease-oriented laboratory investigation of clonal myeloid neoplasms, employing a range of genomic technologies as well as classical cellular and molecular biology experimental approaches. My central goal is to translate my research directly into development of novel targeted therapeutics for the vast and growing patient population suffering from fibrosis and organ failure due to chronic blood cancer or even cancer more broadly. I made significant discoveries for improved diagnosis and treatments for blood cancers. In summary, the major achievements of my lab have been the identification of fibrosis-driving cells in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and the identification of their activating mechanisms. This work has led to the initiation of a clinical trial for which we just received funding for and which will be started in 2023. I have filed a priority patent (application # 20187323.9; date of filing: 23/07/2020) to protect the new use of Tasquinimod for MPN after preclinical proof-of-concept was demonstrated. I have received an ERC proof-of-concept grant beginning of 2021 to translate our preclinical findings into a clinical trial. Active Biotech (NASDAQ STOCKHOLM: ACTI) has entered into an exclusive license agreement with us (Oncode Institute) for the global rights to patents relating to the use of tasquinimod and other inhibitors of S100 for use in treatment of myelofibrosis (MF).
As a post-doctoral research fellow, I was the first to discover recurrent mutations in a blood cancer called del(5q) MDS. Importantly, we identified a mechanism in the mutated, disease-causing cells that is an “Achilles Heel” and can be used to specifically eliminate the disease-causing cells without affecting normal blood formation – one of the main challenges in cancer research. In my laboratory at Erasmus MC, we now thrive to identify novel therapeutic strategies to eradicate disease-initiating in myeloid blood cancers. Additionally, I identified that inflammation and activation of the innate immune system are central mechanisms in the development of not of myeloid malignancies. Using CRISPR/Cas9-gene editing, I showed that targeting activated mechanisms can restore the normal function of diseased hematopoietic cells. In my lab, we now focus on understanding the underlying mechanisms for the inflammation in the bone marrow (protein synthesis, aging etc) and are searching for novel therapeutic targets to block inflammation and inhibit disease progression.
In the next 5-10 years I want to focus on identifying novel druggable targets in myeloid malignancies by using the multitude of cellular and molecular assays established in my group. I furthermore intend to bring together scientists, societies and companies working in the abovementioned areas of research, in order to intensify their interaction, and to thereby foster the translation of several innovative treatment concepts into the clinic.
