Research
The Grootjans Lab focuses on understanding the role of immunity and inflammation in gastrointestinal cancers and their metastases, and in immune-related diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We have three major research lines:
MAPS project
Mapping the human Peritoneal immune System in gastrointestinal cancers
The objective of the MAPS project is to provide a detailed characterization of peritoneal immune system in humans and the tumor microenvironment in peritoneal metastases of colorectal cancer and gastric cancer patients, using innovative techniques including scRNA-sequencing and spatial profiling techniques such as digital spatial profiling and imaging mass cytometry. Using this approach, we aim to identify novel candidate immunomodulatory treatment targets for peritoneal metastasized cancer, a type of metastasis that is largely unresponsive to currently available systemic therapies. We functionally test the most promising targets in both immunocompetent mouse models and humanized immune system mouse models.
CAC study
Defining the involvement of chronic inflammation-induced immune cell alterations in the development of colorectal cancer in IBD patients.
The central hypothesis in this project is that the increased risk of colorectal cancer in IBD patients is a consequence of chronic inflammation-induced immune cell adaptation. We study differences in immune cell composition and their transcriptomes in both sporadic and chronic inflammation-induced colorectal cancer. As it has become increasingly clear that apart from immune cell numbers and composition of immune cells, the impact of immune cells on tumor biology also highly depends on the exact location of the immune- and tumor cells within the microenvironment (i.e. the spatial architecture), we use highly innovative spatial profiling technologies including imaging mass cytometry (IMC) and spatial transcriptome analyses using Nanostring GeoMX digital spatial profiling (dsp). These technologies have revolutionised the possibility to combine immunetranscriptome analysis with unprecedented resolution without losing the spatial context. Functional studies are performed in mouse models for sporadic- and inflammation-induced colorectal cancer.
Figure adapted from: Frigerio et al. Int. J. Mol. Sci 2021
DECIPHER project
Decoding Early risk factors for Colitis induced by Immune-checkPoint blockade tHERapy.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have tremendously changed the outcome of patients with several types of – advanced or metastatic – cancer, sometimes even leading to curation. Two successful immunotherapy targets are Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated 4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed cell death 1 (PD1) or its ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, activation of the immune system by ICI also has side effects, such as Immune-mediated colitis. This is deleterious for patients as it often leads to cessation of ICI-therapy. Our main objective is to identify predictive biomarkers for immune-mediated colitis.
Funded by
The Grootjans Lab conducts research in the fields of gastroenterology and immunology with a focus on gastrointestinal cancers and immune-related diseases.
The research is generously funded by the following sponsors.
