Prof. Dr. Jaap van Hellemond
Bio:
Jaap van Hellemond received his Master degree in Medical Biology and his PhD on the anaerobic energy metabolism of parasites at Utrecht University. From 2007 onwards he is associate professor in parasitology at the Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam. His research is mainly focused on studying the interaction between tropical parasites and naieve adults originating from high-income countries. He aims to extend the knowledge on infectious diseases that differ markedly in terms of pathogenesis and diagnostic tools between non-endemic, high-income regions and endemic, low-income regions such as sub-Sahara Africa. At the moment he is involved in an ambitious project (eWHORM) in cooperation with European and African research institutes to tackle the persistent threat of worm infections (helminthiases) in developing countries, to strengthen the local healthcare systems.
Title: Free living amoeba and infections: perpetrators and facilitators.
Amoebae and bacteria have coexisted for millions of years, which has resulted in complex interactions with each other. These interactions cover the whole range of symbiosis, varying from mutualism where both organisms benefit, to parasitism, where one organism benefits at the expense of the other. In most cases bacteria are simply eaten by amoebae, but some bacteria arose that can resist this predation and can even kill the amoeba instead. Others can survive inside the amoeba, and the amoeba can then protect them from harmful external conditions. All these interactions have shaped amoebae and bacteria into the creatures they now are. As perpetrators, free living amoeba cannot only cause severe and lethal infections in humans by themselves, they can also facilitate bacterial infections by hosting bacteria. Our new insights in the intriguing role of amoeba as perpetrators and facilitators for human infections will be presented.
Dr. Charissa de Bekker
Bio:
Dr. Charissa de Bekker obtained her PhD at Utrecht University in the field of fungal genetics. She is now an associate professor and group leader at Utrecht University. Her research revolves around parasites that can change host behavior. Currently, her research group is investigating manipulated behavior shown by (zombie) ants that are infected with fungal species of the genus Ophiocordyceps. Her research aim is to discover how parasites can affect the behavior of their host on a molecular level, thereby answering fundamental questions that could lead to the discovery of novel bioactive compounds that can be used in more sustainable pest control or have medical applications.
Title: Behavioural manipulators: unravelling the molecular mysteries of real-life zombie-making fungi
The evolutionary arms race between parasites and hosts can culminate into complex extended phenotypes that benefit disease progression and transmission. The fungus-adaptive changes in behaviour as seen in Ophiocordyceps-infected carpenter ants are a prime example. These “zombie ants” demonstrate behaviours that are thought to circumvent the social immune responses of the colony. Subsequently, the hijacked ant attaches itself at an elevated position that benefits fungal spore development and dispersal. The precise mechanisms involved are unknown. To unravel them, we have developed “zombie ants” into an integrative model system. By combining fungal culturing and lab infections with behavioural assays and multi-omics, we propose several hypotheses about the fungal proteins and ant receptors involved. To determine the function of presumed fungal “manipulation” effectors, the host behaviours they elicit, and the host pathways that underly those phenotypes. Our results will provide some of the first insights into parasitic hijacking of animal behaviour.
Dr. Yvonne Vercoulen
Bio:
Yvonne Vercoulen is an associate professor and group leader at UMC Utrecht, within the Center for Molecular Medicine. As a PhD and postdoc, she worked on T cell immunology. Her group focuses on unravelling the different types of cells that are present in the tissue microenvironment in context of a disease, such as cancer, and how these cells interact with each other. To understand these processes, they develop and implement mass cytometry (CyTOF), which is a novel technique that allows single cell analysis. With this innovative tool, it is possible to analyze tissue sections in great detail and identify cells and their behavior and location. Besides that, Yvonne is also scientific director of UCyTOF and selected member of Utrecht Young Academy.
Title: Location, Location, Location: Spatial analysis of the tumor immune microenvironment
Patients with solid tumors show differential responses to therapeutic regiments. Dr. Vercoulen will discuss how her team employed innovative strategies for highplex imaging, and spatial analysis of the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, she will highlight how the team revealed roles for both lymphoid and myeloid immune cells in therapy response to immune checkpoint blockade, and risk of tumor metastasis.
More information: vercoulenlab.org.
