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Myeloid Cell Immunology
Immunoparasitology
Camel Antibodies
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Bio-engineering Department
Immunobiology of Infectious Diseases and Cancer / Camel Antibody Technology
Research in the unit of Cellular and Molecular Immunology is focused on a number of mutually interacting themes:
The "myeloid cell immunobiology" group, led by Prof. Dr. ir. Jo Van Ginderachter and with Prof. Dr. ir. Geert Raes as 10% Research Professor, investigates the diversity of populations of myeloid cells (including macrophages, dendritic cells and monocytes) in organs such as the liver and tumors, and the use of these cell populations and their molecular markers as target for diagnosis and therapeutic interventions during inflammatory diseases and cancer.
The "immunoparasitology" group, led by Prof. Dr. ir. Stefan Magez and with Prof. Dr. ir. Carl De Trez as 10% Research Professor, studies the immunopathology of parasitic infectious diseases (such as trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis and malaria) and the mechanisms involved in parasite control, aiming ultimately at the development of new strategies for diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. In addition, structural biology investigations into the molecular interactions involved in cell invasion by parasites are performed.
The "camel antibody" group, led by Prof. Dr. Serge Muyldermans, has acquired international fame for studying the ontogeny and structure-function relationship of the unique heavy chain antibodies of camelidae and also the diagnostic/therapeutic applications (including in inflammatory diseases and cancer) of the therefrom derived recombinant, single-domain antigen-binding fragments, referred to as Nanobodies Nanobodies (Nbs).