FIELD OF EXPERTISE
- Breast Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Homologous Recombination
- Zebrafish
- Xenograft
- PARP inhibitors
- RAD51, BRCA2, ATM
PROJECTS
I am using zebrafish as a model organism to study hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition and therapeutics.
PROJECT 1 : Studying hereditary breast cancer predisposition in BRCA2 and ATM
Background
I use zebrafish to investigate the effect of Variants of Unknown Clinical significance (VUS) in BRCA2. For this, I insert variants of interest into the genome of zebrafish, using Crispr-Cas9 mediated genome editing. Fish containing these variants are tested on their capacity of allowing Homologous Recombination (HR). I previously showed that this function is conserved in zebrafish. Failure to provide HR indicates that the variant is non-functional, and thus likely to be pathogenic. In parallel, I am also characterizing the zebrafish orthologue of ATM, another breast cancer predisposition gene. I investigate if ATM functions are conserved in zebrafish. If so, the end-goal is to also establish a functional read-out for in vivo study of VUS in this gene.
Aim
This assay could be used as an in vivo test to predict the functional effect of variants and aids counseling of patients.
PROJECT 2: Using zebrafish as a in vivo tool to test PARP inhibitor efficacy
Background
Patients with BRCA1/2 mutated tumors can be treated with PARP inhibitors (PARPi). New PARPi are constantly in development. Therefore, there is a great need to find assays that can accurately portray PARPi efficiency. I am currently investigating if zebrafish can be utilized to test the efficacy of PARP inhibitor monotherapy and combination therapy.
Aim
This assay could allow for a fast screening for novel powerful PARP inhibitors and/or combination therapies.
PROJECT 3: Using zebrafish Patient Derived Xenografts (zPDX) as a personalized treatment model for pancreatic cancer
Background
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. Treatment is based on a ‘one-size-fits’ system and many patients respond poorly to the therapy given. There is a great need for individualized therapy for these patients. I am developing a zPDX platform in the hopes of providing patients with a accurate and fast system to choose the best treatment for each patient.
Aim
The development of the zPDX platform can be used in the near future to provide patients with the most optimal treatment strategies.
PROJECT 1 : Studying hereditary breast cancer predisposition in BRCA2 and ATM
Background
I use zebrafish to investigate the effect of Variants of Unknown Clinical significance (VUS) in BRCA2. For this, I insert variants of interest into the genome of zebrafish, using Crispr-Cas9 mediated genome editing. Fish containing these variants are tested on their capacity of allowing Homologous Recombination (HR). I previously showed that this function is conserved in zebrafish. Failure to provide HR indicates that the variant is non-functional, and thus likely to be pathogenic. In parallel, I am also characterizing the zebrafish orthologue of ATM, another breast cancer predisposition gene. I investigate if ATM functions are conserved in zebrafish. If so, the end-goal is to also establish a functional read-out for in vivo study of VUS in this gene.
Aim
This assay could be used as an in vivo test to predict the functional effect of variants and aids counseling of patients.
PROJECT 2: Using zebrafish as a in vivo tool to test PARP inhibitor efficacy
Background
Patients with BRCA1/2 mutated tumors can be treated with PARP inhibitors (PARPi). New PARPi are constantly in development. Therefore, there is a great need to find assays that can accurately portray PARPi efficiency. I am currently investigating if zebrafish can be utilized to test the efficacy of PARP inhibitor monotherapy and combination therapy.
Aim
This assay could allow for a fast screening for novel powerful PARP inhibitors and/or combination therapies.
PROJECT 3: Using zebrafish Patient Derived Xenografts (zPDX) as a personalized treatment model for pancreatic cancer
Background
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. Treatment is based on a ‘one-size-fits’ system and many patients respond poorly to the therapy given. There is a great need for individualized therapy for these patients. I am developing a zPDX platform in the hopes of providing patients with a accurate and fast system to choose the best treatment for each patient.
Aim
The development of the zPDX platform can be used in the near future to provide patients with the most optimal treatment strategies.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
- Poster Award (Oncopoint 2019, Ghent)
- Afwerkersbeurs Emmanuel van der Schueren (Kom op Tegen Kanker 2018, Brussels)
- Poster Award (Oncopoint 2018, Ghent)
- Poster Award (BeSHG 2017, Louvain-la-Neuve)
DEGREES
- Doctor of Medical Sciences, Defended December 2020 (dissaration: 'Zebrafish as a model to study DNA repair and developmental defects following loss of BRCA2 or ATM')
- BeSHG Postgraduate course: Permanent Education Course in Human Genetics (Ghent University, 2018)
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (Ghent University, 2014)
- Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences (Ghent University, 2012)