Stefan Busscher
Resume
PhD student, Department of Medical Biology and Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the Netherlands. September 2025 – Current
Research Technician, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA), Molecular Neurobiology of Ageing, Groningen, the Netherlands. October/2023 – December/2024
Msc, Biomedical Sciences, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, the Netherlands. September/2021 – August/2023
Bsc, Life Sciences, Hogeschool van hall Larenstein Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. September/2016 – July/2020
Research
My research focuses on how environmental exposures or smoking contribute to epithelial barrier dysfunction and exacerbation susceptibility in COPD, with a specific focus on epigenetic regulation. I examine whether pollution-associated changes in DNA methylation affect the expression of genes essential for epithelial barrier integrity, thereby increasing susceptibility to COPD exacerbations. Ultimately, this work aims to identify novel therapeutic targets to restore epithelial function and reduce exacerbation risk in COPD.
Keywords: COPD, Airway epithelium, DNA methylation, Epithelial barrier dysfunction, Air pollution exposure, Exacerbations, Epigenetic regulation