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Our aim is to develop patient-derived cell models to understand the molecular mechanisms of disease, to identify and validate targets for treatment, and to develop drugs and precision medicine applications. bridging the gap between bench and bedside. By translating fundamental discoveries into clinical trials and applications and evidence-based interventions, we strive to impact patient care and improve outcomes of infants when they are most vulnerable.

Living cell technologies

We develop in vitro living cell technologies based on patient-derived adult stem cells to study human diseases with high unmet clinical needs. We focus on adult stem cell based organotypic cultures, how such cells can be used to grow cellular communities in vitro that mimic the in vivo conditions, and how genetic or pharmacological interventions in such in vitro models can induce or treat disease characteristics. In addition, we explore and develop how patient-specific adult stem cell-based technologies and biobanks thereof can be used for precision medicine applications by validating their ability to associate with and predict individual clinical phenotypes and therapeutic benefit, mostly in the context of airway diseases.

The research group has multiple subdomains where we focus on various topics including Cystic Fibrosis and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia disease models, AI and Automation in cellular disease models (van Beuningen), Airway biology and defense mechanisms (Amatngalim), and stem cell research. This multidisciplinary team works closely together with clinician-scientists (van der Ent, de Winter-de Groot) to implement new innovations in clinical research and healthcare. Public-private partnerships with patient foundations and pharma companies are an integral part of our research activities. The lab is part of the Regenerative Medicine Center in Utrecht and the EWUU alliance Centre for Living Technologies.

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