Congratulations to Prof Schlenner!

Our very own Susan Schlenner was just announced as a winner of the BOF-ZAP competition for a prestigious research professorship at the University of Leuven!

International science

This is a time when the international nature of science is under threat - from Brexit, Trump and war, the movement of scientists is being restricted, and with it the scientific advantages of 'brain circulation'.

Just how international an endeavour is science? At the moment, our lab has 21 researchers: 12 are international (from 12 different countries) and 9 are Belgian. 

Over the past 8 years, our lab has trained 113 young scientists. 52 have been Belgian, 61 have been international (31 from the EU, 30 from outside the EU, from 32 nationalities). Belgium has benefited from this international talent, our researchers benefited from being trained here, and the country of origin benefits from the additional training they receive. Immigration is a win-win!

While I am discussing demographics, it is worth noting that 65% of my trainees have been women, so if any departments are struggling to hire female Professors just ask - there are lots of amazing women coming out of my lab. 

Ieder zijn afweer

Verrassing: onze woonplaats en de mensen met wie we samenleven hebben meer impact op ons immuunsysteem dan onze genen.

Sommige mensen worden gemakkelijk ziek, anderen niet. Sommige ziektes manifesteren zich vooral in de winter of treffen eerder vrouwen. Die verscheidenheid van ziektepatronen kan deels verklaard worden door variaties in de werking van ons afweersysteem. Een reeks artikelen in het vakblad Cell wierp licht op die variaties. Daarbij vertrokken de auteurs van de productie van cytokines: belangrijke signaalmoleculen die ervoor zorgen dat het afweersysteem adequaat reageert op bedreigingen.

Zo hebben bepaalde cytokines een piekproductie in de winter, andere in de zomer. Dat kan mee verklaren waarom griep vooral een winterziekte is. Sommige cytokines reageren goed op virussen maar minder op bacteriën, waardoor sommige mensen gevoeliger zijn voor verkoudheden. De opvallend verschillende reactie van mannen en vrouwen op bepaalde aandoeningen heeft niet voornamelijk met hormonen te maken, maar met verschillen in de cytokineproductie in vetcellen: vrouwen hebben een andere vetsamenstelling dan mannen.

Verrassend was ook de vaststelling dat bepaalde facetten van het immuunsysteem niet verouderen – veel verouderingsziektes gaan gepaard met zware ontstekingen. Een en ander sluit aan bij de bevindingen van immunoloog Adrian Liston van de Leuvense tak aan hetVlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie en enkele collega’s, die een stand van zaken van het onderzoek presenteerden in Trends in Immunology .

Hun voornaamste conclusie was dat onze woonplaats en de mensen met wie we samenleven een veel grotere impact op ons immuunsysteem hebben dan onze genen. De immuunsystemen van samenwonenden lijken sterker op elkaar dan puur statistisch verwacht kon worden. In feite is dat goed nieuws: je leefomgeving veranderen is gemakkelijker dan je genen veranderen.

Knack - 01 Feb. 2017

Interview with Science Minds

Recently I was interviewed by Vinoy Vijayan for his excellent Science Minds podcast. 

You can download the interview here, if you are interested in a discussion on science careers, different pathways to take in science, mentorship and diversity in science.

Diabetes: the fragile beta cell model

In the current issue of Trends in Molecular Medicine, we put forward the evidence for and against the beta cell fragility model, where innate defects in beta cell survival drive both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  

Read: Liston, Todd and Lagou (2017). "Beta cell fragility as a common underlying risk factor in type 1 and type 2 diabetes". Trends in Molecular Medicine. 

New insights in genetic defect allow prevention of fatal illnesses in children

A team of scientists led by prof. Adrian Liston (VIB–KU Leuven) and prof. Isabelle Meyts (UZ Leuven – KU Leuven) were able to characterize a new genetic immunodeficiency resulting from a mutation in a gene named STAT2. This mutation causes patients to be extremely vulnerable to normally mild childhood illnesses such as rotavirus and enterovirus. Prof. Liston’s comprehensive analysis of the genetic defect allows clinicians to provide children with the proper therapies before illnesses prove fatal. The findings of the research have been published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Recent advancements in technologies and tools now make it possible for researchers to identify extremely subtle defects of the human immune system. In the past, many patients with “hidden” immunodeficiencies, or defects that were not obvious from the outset, often become extremely ill or die before their genetic disorders are diagnosed. Prof. Liston and his lab were able to identify a gene mutation causing an immunodeficiency that can be fatal during childhood, enabling children to be diagnosed, monitored and preemptively treated for the disorder.

Immunodeficiency disorders are not rare

Ranging from disorders as severe as the well-known “bubble boy” to nearly impossible-to-detect ‘hidden’ defects, immunodeficiencies are more common than scientists previously thought. Immunologists and geneticists have only just begun to scratch the surface when it comes to defining these latter types of immune disorders, which can be specific enough to make sufferers highly susceptible to just one or two types of diseases.

Prof. Adrian Liston (VIB-KU Leuven): “I wouldn’t be surprised if, when we finally do complete the identification of all genetic immunodeficiencies, we discover that up to 1 in 100 children are affected. The ‘hidden’ ones are especially insidious, because they do not present as obviously as other genetic immune disorders. In our study, one of the patients did unfortunately die before a diagnosis could be made. The other patient is alive and well, and now that she has been diagnosed, she is being carefully watched. We can do something about most immunodeficiencies – if only we can identify them.”

Severe common illnesses may signal immune disorder

Prof. Meyts, lead clinician for the patients, stresses the importance of assessing the severity of childhood illnesses on the part of parents, suggesting that parents look for helpful information online and raise the possibility of a potential genetic immunodeficiency with a pediatrician.

Prof. Isabelle Meyts (UZ Leuven – KU Leuven): "When an otherwise healthy child experiences extremely severe infection with a common pathogen, like influenza or the chickenpox virus, or whenever a child is particularly vulnerable to infection with a single pathogen, an underlying defect in the immune system is likely. Likewise, a family history of a child succumbing to infection should alert the family and the clinician. Identifying the causative gene defect allows for genetic counseling of the family and for preventive measures to be taken."

Unraveling ‘hidden’ immunodeficiencies

The potential future avenues for this research are numerous and extremely relevant to current medicine. Prof. Liston’s lab has developed a unique immune phenotyping platform and gene discovery program that can help identify previously unknown immune system defects and inflammatory diseases, leading to novel new treatments that can be administered in a timely way.

Prof. Adrian Liston: “We seek to identify every possible cause of genetic immunodeficiency so that every child displaying warning signs can be tested and treated before it is too late.”

World Pancreatic Cancer day

Tomorrow is World Pancreatic Cancer day 

Pancreatic cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer, with a lifetime risk of developing pancreatic cancer of 1 in 76. However due to the deadly nature of the disease it is the fourth biggest killer in terms of the absolute numbers of fatalities. The main reason for the high mortality is the late detection of pancreatic cancer, with only 15-20% of cases being diagnosed at a point when are operable, leading to a median survival of less than six months and a five year survival rate of under 8%. At a time when the mortality rates of most cancers are dropping, the death rate from pancreatic cancer is still rising.

It is critical for us to understand the causes of pancreatic cancer, both so that we can develop effective treatments and also so that we can better design screening strategies for earlier detection. The known risk factors for pancreatic cancer include age, smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity, diet, type 2 diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis and genetic background. The big problem is that many of these risk factors are inter-connected, and it is difficult to dissect out the effect of obesity, diet and diabetes. In the Translational Immunology Laboratory we have just completed a multi-year study of more than 300 mice with pancreatic cancer. We used longitudinal MRI tracking to determine the factors that drive the development, growth and lethality of pancreatic cancer - stay tuned for our forthcoming papers that give the result!

Position available: Flow Cytometry Specialist

Thinking of moving to Canada? Try Belgium. We are looking for an experienced flow cytometry specialist to support our immunology team. The candidate will work on converting current stain sets into high parameter (20+) stain sets, working in the fields of clinical and mouse immunology. Salary: commensurate with experience. Relocation support possible for international applicants.

Qualifications and Experience

The candidate should either hold a PhD based on flow cytometry, or hold a Master degree and have at least three years of research experience in flow cytometry. Experience in immunology is a plus, but is not required. Fluency in written and spoken English is required. 

Application

Please submit 1) a full CV, with an emphasis on flow cytometry experience and 2) names of two references by 31-Dec-2016 to:

Prof Adrian Liston

adrian.liston@vib-kuleuven.be 

Congratulations to Erika Van Nieuwenhove

Congratulations to Erika Van Nieuwenhove for winning the Best Poster prize at the recent Leuven Regulatory T cell symposium!

Extra credit for managing to win with a poster that barely mentioned regulatory T cells.

Op 20 december 2016 organiseert Kulinarte haar tweede editie van het benefiet kerstconcert

Het Kerstconcert van 2015 georganiseerd door het prille KULINARTE, was een warm en groot succes, waarbij tevens Windekind een financiële ondersteuning kon worden geboden.

De feitelijke samenwerking tussen Peter Luypaers, die de format van concert-diners reeds jaren heeft toegepast, Peter Herbiest namens de Faculty Club en Julius Candries als event-organisator, kent thans een evolutie naar een v.z.w. in oprichting met de naam KULINARTE.

Muziek en vriendschap is reeds jaren de basis voor Peter Luypaers om concert-diners te organiseren gekoppeld aan een zorgvuldig uitgekozen goed doel, terwijl tegelijkertijd vanuit de vriendschap het snijpunt wordt bewandeld van top-artistieke prestaties en kansen bieden, top-culinaire gerechtjes in een top-locatie als de Faculty Club en dit alles top-georganiseerd.

Een top-publiek mag dus niet ontbreken !

Met onze tweede editie van het Kerstconcert op 20 december 2016 willen we met KULINARTE het klinische onderzoeksproject kinderreumatische ziektebeelden van de Pediatrie van UZ Leuven ondersteunen, een behoefte die spijtig genoeg niet de “sympathie” geniet van bv oncologie waar iedereen gul voor doneert, doch die onze steun bijzonder nodig heeft. Voor meer informatie over dit onderzoek klik hier.

KULINARTE organiseert daarom ook dit jaar een Kerstconcert, in de Kerk St Jan De Doper, met een bescheiden doch thematische Kerstmarkt, stands m.b.t. kinderreuma, een receptie en een walkin’ diner ( o.l.v. Meesterkok Lieven Demeestere van restaurant Arenberg).

Het concert programma
Artistiek: Iris Lupaers en Gijs Vanderlinden hebben een concept uitgewerkt dat multimedia ( projectie van beelden) combineert met live performance/zang, in Kerstsfeer: thema = liefde en kinderen. Voor meer informatie over de artiesten klik hier.

– Eerste deel (30’)
Film = een film van Eric Cuypers gebaseerd op “Les Nuits d’Eté” van Hector Berlioz
Iris en Gijs zingen live de liederen
Begeleiding = Guy Vandromme op een historische piano
– Tweede deel (45’)
Kerstliederen

Zoals vorig jaar zijn ook er verschillende combinaties mogelijk.

Programma
– Vanaf 19u30: onthaal in de Sint-Jan-De-Doperkerk
– 20u – 21u: kerstconcert
– 21u– 22u: kerstreceptie (salons/onthaal/lounge Faculty Club)
– 22u – 23u: kerstreceptie en walking diner (Infirmerie)

Tarieven
Concert alleen 30 euro incl. btw
Concert + receptie 60 euro incl. btw
Concert + receptie + walking diner 95 euro incl. btw