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Rieneke van de Ven

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Rieneke van de Ven -van Balken

DR., Principal Investigator

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4230-8383
  • 1306
    Citations
20062025

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Research interests

Our Head and neck cancer biology & immunology (HNCBI) research group at the Department of Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery focuses on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and the precancerous lesions from which these cancers arise with the ultimate aim to translate research findings to the clinic and improve diagnosis, treatment and surveillance. The major research themes are


- oncogenesis and genomics
- molecular diagnosis and early detection
- tumor-stroma interaction
- development and evaluation of novel treatments


I conceptualize and lead the tumor immunology research within the Laboratory of Head and neck cancer biology & immunology, which I joined in 2018 as staff member. After obtaining my PhD at the VUmc dept. of Pathology in 2009, I worked as postdoc (2009-2010) and later junior group leader (2013-2018) at the dept. of Medical Oncology (Immunotherapy and Immune monitoring lab) and received postdoctoral training in tumor immunology at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute at the Providence Cancer Center in Portland, Oregon (2011-2013) as part of a KWF-funded postdoctoral fellowship. I have (co)authored 40+ manuscripts in the field of tumor immunology.


My research focus is on characterizing the tumor microenvironment of HNSCC and study the interactions between tumor cells and immune cells therein, with the aim to develop novel immunotherapy treatments or optimize current treatment strategies. Being embedded within a molecular biology lab, I aim to comprehend the immunological consequences of head and neck cancer heterogeneity; both from a site perspective (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx) as well as from a molecular or etiological perspective (HPV-driven, carcinogen-driven, age-driven). I am involved with immunotherapy clinical studies that run at the department and through translational research on clinical samples aim to find biomarkers or signatures that could predict response (or resistance) to (immuno)therapy.

Specialisation

 

  • Tumor immune suppression
  • Head and Neck cancer tumor microenvironment
  • Immunotherapy

Education/Academic qualification

PhD, The ABC of dendritic cell development and function, VU University: -

1 Apr 2003 → 30 Sept 2008

Award Date: 7 Apr 2009

Master, Biomedical Sciences, UvA

1 Sept 1998 → 30 Aug 2002

Award Date: 11 Nov 2002

External positions

(interim) Program Officer, Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development ZonMw

… → 1 Sept 2010

Postdoctoral fellow, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Portland, United States

… → 10 Sept 2013

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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