Group 09 - VU University Medical Centre. Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Research


The group of Prof. Dr. Yvette van Kooyk, VUmc, is internationally well recognised for its research on the immuno-biology of dendritic cells (DC) and their related immunomodulatory capacities. Special focus is on DC C-type lectin receptors (CLR), that play an important function in DC adhesion, and recognition of pathogen and self-glycoprotein recognition based on the carbohydrate profile they express. Gaining more insight into the function of the growing number of CLR specific of DC will provide tools for modulating DC-pathogen and DC-self antigen recognition as well as tumour recognition to control infectious and autoimmune diseases and cancer. The research is focussed on two main areas:

1. Carbohydrate specificity of DC expressed CLRs and the recognition of antigens (self-glycoproteins or pathogens).

2. DC-antigen recognition and presentation. Antigen recognition by CLR is studied to modify antigen presentation.

The research programme falls under the VUmc Research Institute for cancer and immunology V-ICI. The research groups involved share modern facilities equipped with state to art instrumentation on contemporary Immunology, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology techniques.