On 27 September 2023 Mehmet sucessfully defended his thesis titled: “The Extracellular Matrix to Bind Them All: Interactions between ECM and cells in lung fibrosis and influences thereof”. Congratulations, Dr. Mehmet (Matt)!!
ERS Mid-Career GOLD Medal for Martijn Nawijn
Annually, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) presents an array of prestigious awards to acknowledge scientific merit and engagement within the ERS by honouring exceptional members for their exemplary achievements and potential for further outstanding developments in all respiratory areas and within the society. This year, Martijn Nawijn was awarded with a Med-career Golden medal for…
PhD defence of Qing Chen
On 5 July 2023 Qing Chen successfully defended her thesis titled “Beyond (epi)genetic association studies: functional studies op COPD susceptibility genes”. Congratulations, Dr. Qing!
PhD defence of Grissel Faura Tellez
On 20 February 2023 Grissel Faura Tellez succesfully defended her thesis titled “New insights into the contribution of the Protocadherin-1 (PCDH1) gene in asthma”. Congratulations Grissel!
NWO grant for consortium for innovative treatment of COPD
A research consortium led by Irene Heijink from the Department of Pathology & Medical Biology of the UMCG has received a €2.3 million grant from NWO. With this the consortium will conduct research into innovative treatment of COPD. Around 600,000 people in the Netherlands suffer from COPD. To date, this progressive lung disease cannot be…
Simon D. Pouwels received the Health Technology Research & Innovation Cluster grant 2022
Take a breath: development of a novel lung adhesive sealant as bronchoscopic lung volume reduction treatment for severe COPD patients Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a severe and progressive lung disease, accounting for significant morbidity, early mortality and high healthcare costs. To date, COPD is incurable and treatment is mainly focused on reducing symptoms.…
Irene Heijink and co-workers received a Public-Private Partnership Alowance grant from LongFonds and Health~Holland (Top Sector Life Science and Health)
COPD is characterized by irreversible lung damage, leading to progressive loss of lung function. Novel regenerative treatments are urgently needed. Human lungs contain stem cells capable of tissue regeneration that reside in their local microenvironment (niche), composed of stromal cells and extracellular matrix. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are a key stromal element, supporting alveolar regeneration via paracrine…
PhD Defence Kaj Blokland
On 8 September 2021 Kaj Blokland, a PhD student from our group succesfully defended his thesis, titled: “The ECM as a driver of fibroblast senescence and disrupted epithelial repair in IPF”. Congratulations Kaj!
PhD Defence of Virinchi Kuchibhotla
Virinchi Kuchibhotla, a PHD student from our group successfully defended his thesis titled “The role of E-cadherin/beta-catenin signalling in the development of an asthmatic airway epithelial phenotype” on 28 June 2021. Due to the Corona situation Virinchi defended online from India Congratulations Virinchi !
NRS Young Investigator Award for Aurore Gay
The 2021 Young Investigator Award from the Netherlands Respiratory Society has been awarded to Aurore Gay, second-year PhD student working at the department of Pathology & Medical Biology and the GRIAC research Institute of the UMCG. Aurore Gay presented her research on infection of airway epithelial cells from asthma patients and healthy controls with the…