Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
The van Gils lab is committed to make a lasting impact on the field of vaccine immunology. Our mission is to comprehend the underlying immunology behind vaccination, in particular the elicitation of antibody responses. These antibody responses are vital in the protection against infectious diseases and the major goal in vaccine research is to induce potent antibodies. We believe that the protective effects of antibody responses are to a major extent imprinted during the first encounters of B and T cells with vaccines. Therefore, gaining knowledge and control over the initial interactions of vaccine candidates with B and T cells and the formation of germinal center responses, will guide the development and improvement of vaccines against infectious diseases. Therefore, we focus on determining phenotypic characteristics of B and Tfh cells and the interactions between these cells correlated with lifelong immunity after common childhood vaccines and after experimental vaccines. We use different techniques such as RNA sequencing, T and B cell receptor analysis and monoclonal antibody isolation to characterize the phenotype, affinity, and specificity of the antigen-specific B and T cells. Through this, we will provide new insights directed towards improving vaccines with the ultimate goal to elicit durable protective immune responses against infectious diseases, such as HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Hepatitis C virus and Influenza virus.
Specialisation
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Universiteit van Amsterdam
1 Jan 2007 → 31 Dec 2011
Award Date: 1 Apr 2011
Master, Rijks Universiteit Groningen: Faculteit der Medische wetenschappen
1 Sep 2004 → 31 Aug 2006
Bachelor, Rijks Universiteit Groningen: Faculteit der Medische wetenschappen
1 Sep 2000 → 31 Aug 2004
External positions
Associate Editor for NPJ Vaccines
1 Jun 2022 → …
Board Member, The Netherlands Conference on HIV Pathogenesis
1 Jan 2020 → 31 Dec 2026
Member, Amsterdam UMC Research strategy advisory board
1 Jan 2019 → 31 Dec 2020
Member, Amsterdam Young Academy (AYA)
1 Jan 2018 → 31 Dec 2022
Keywords
- QR355 Virology
- QR180 Immunology
Network
Projects
- 3 Active
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HIV vaccine research aimed at the induction of neutralizing antibodies
Brouwer, P. J. M., van Haaren, M. M., Del Moral Sanchez, I., Schorcht, A., de Taeye, S. W., Torrents de la Pena, A., Sanders, R. W., van Gils, M. J., Medina Ramirez, M. M., Bontjer, I. C., van Breemen, M. J. & Burger, J. A.
1/09/2010 → …
Project: Research
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Potent neutralizing antibodies from COVID-19 patients define multiple targets of vulnerability
Brouwer, P. J. M., Caniels, T. G., van der Straten, K., Snitselaar, J. L., Aldon, Y., Bangaru, S., Torres, J. L., Okba, N. M. A., Claireaux, M., Kerster, G., Bentlage, A. E. H., van Haaren, M. M., Guerra, D., Burger, J. A., Schermer, E. E., Verheul, K. D., van der Velde, N., van der Kooi, A., van Schooten, J., van Breemen, M. J., & 13 others , 7 Aug 2020, In: Science. 369, 6504, p. 643-650 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open Access631 Citations (Scopus) -
Mapping the immunogenic landscape of near-native HIV-1 envelope trimers in non-human primates
Cottrell, C. A., van Schooten, J., Bowman, C. A., Yuan, M., Oyen, D., Shin, M., Morpurgo, R., van der Woude, P., van Breemen, M., Torres, J. L., Patel, R., Gross, J., Sewall, L. M., Copps, J., Ozorowski, G., Nogal, B., Sok, D., Rakasz, E. G., Labranche, C., Vigdorovich, V., & 11 others , 1 Aug 2020, In: PLoS Pathogens. 16, 8, e1008753.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open Access32 Citations (Scopus) -
Antibody Response in Immunocompromised Patients With Hematologic Cancers Who Received a 3-Dose mRNA-1273 Vaccination Schedule for COVID-19
COBRA KAI Study Team, 1 Oct 2022, In: JAMA oncology. 8, 10, p. 1477-1483 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open Access8 Citations (Scopus) -
Antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants induced by four different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in health care workers in the Netherlands: A prospective cohort study
van Gils, M. J., Lavell, A., van der Straten, K., Appelman, B., Bontjer, I., Poniman, M., Burger, J. A., Oomen, M., Bouhuijs, J. H., van Vught, L. A., Slim, M. A., Schinkel, M., Wynberg, E., van Willigen, H. D. G., Grobben, M., Tejjani, K., van Rijswijk, J., Snitselaar, J. L., Caniels, T. G., Vlaar, A. P. J., & 6 others , 1 May 2022, In: PLoS Medicine. 19, 5, e1003991.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open Access17 Citations (Scopus) -
Antigenic cartography using sera from sequence-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern infections reveals antigenic divergence of Omicron
van der Straten, K., Guerra, D., van Gils, M. J., Bontjer, I., Caniels, T. G., van Willigen, H. D. G., Wynberg, E., Poniman, M., Burger, J. A., Bouhuijs, J. H., van Rijswijk, J., Olijhoek, W., Liesdek, M. H., Lavell, A. H. A., Appelman, B., Sikkens, J. J., Bomers, M. K., Han, A. X., Nichols, B. E., Prins, M., & 7 others , 13 Sep 2022, In: Immunity. 55, 9, p. 1725-1731.e4Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open Access6 Citations (Scopus)