Short Biosketch PI:

Eric Eldering was trained as molecular biologist/biochemist at the University of Amsterdam (PhD 1992). His research group at the Department of Experimental Immunology was formed in 2002, and he became Professor of Molecular Immuno-Hematology in 2012. Initially studying apoptosis regulation in normal and pathological immune cells, this had expanded to include wider fundamental and translational aspects in Immuno-Hematology, with focus on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).

The group is currently led together with hematologist Arnon Kater, and is positioned as the foremost CLL center in the Netherlands, and is internationally well recognized. We maintain a biobank of CLL and other B cell malignancies. We regularly partner with pharmaceutical companies in collaborative projects to investigate novel anti-cancer drugs.

Focus of Research:

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is of crucial importance in the immune system and in cancer, and remains a pillar of our research. We study Bcl-2 family members in B cell malignancies, novel drugs such as kinase inhibitors and BH3 mimetcis, and drug resistance mechanisms.

In recent years, we shifted towards immunometabolism, with focus on the intrinsic metabolic changes in CLL as well as the impact of malignant cells on (CAR) T cell function and metabolism.

We study four  interrelated areas  (+ collaborations):

1. CLL genetics and molecular diagnostics   (Dept of Clinical Genetics)
2. The leukemic microenvironment and novel drugs (Dept of Pathology - LYMMCARE)
3. Interaction between the immune system and CLL (Dept of Hematology - VUmc)
4. Metabolism and cell stress in B cell malignancies (Lab of Genetic Metabolic Diseases)

Groupmembers:

Several of our PhD students are members of (inter)national consortia, as indicated.

Faculty
Prof. dr. Eric Eldering PhD

Prof. dr. Arnon P.Kater MD PhD  

Postdocs
Fleur Peters PhD

Helga Simon Molas PhD

Marco Haselager PhD

Armando van Bruggen PhD

PhD Students
Chaja Jacobs MD MSc

Chiara Monitironi MSc (METACAN - https://www.metacan.eu/)

Francesca Favaro MSc (METACAN - https://www.metacan.eu/)

Karoline Kielbassa MSc. - (Target to B! - https://www.target-to-b.nl/about/)

Zhenghao Chen MSc

Research technicians
Ing. Ingrid Derks

Joanne Rietveld

Gaspard Cretenet

Vacancy

Biobank technicians

Dennis de Rooij

Ilse Ligtenberg

Antoinet Schoonderwoerd

Bianca van Driel

Biobank coordinator
Julie Dubois MD PhD