LUMC theme for innovation

Immunity

The Immunity research theme covers all aspects of immune regulation in health and disease. Cells of the immune system are omnipresent. They maintain self-tolerance and defend us against infection and cancer. Thereby, immunity is (seemingly) omnipotent. Balance is key in healthy immunity. An overactive immune system may lead to immune-related pathologies, as in auto-immune diseases and chronic inflammation. In transplantation settings, host immune responses to donor cells may lead to organ reject
What can we help you with?

Our research community aims to understand how the immune system works in health and disease through fundamental research. At the same time, clinical observations can inspire fundamental research that resolves disease mechanisms. Collaborations between researchers and clinicians may therefore lead to better diagnostics and novel therapies for disease prevention and cure. Areas and means of application are for example vaccination against infection and cancer, cell therapy for immunodeficiency and cancer, and antibody treatments in auto-immunity. The Immunity research theme aims to be a stimulating and facilitating research community that delivers new insights in the workings of the immune system and applies this knowledge to resolve unmet clinical needs.

We aim to achieve this ambition by:

  • Promoting strategic clinical-preclinical connections.
  • Enhancing and facilitating communication and exchange of knowledge, resources and technology within and beyond the theme group
  • Increasing research quality, synergy and focus
  • Identifying opportunities for quality and output increase at technical and organizational level
  • Stimulating talent development and strategic recruitments
  • Increasing professional and societal outreach

To get in touch with researchers connected to our theme please see the drop down menu.

For more: Immunity@lumc.nl

A circle of life

Tissue micro array core of placenta tissue showing fetal villi surrounded by maternal blood. Oxygen and nutrients for the baby are transmitted from the maternal blood to the placenta via the syncytiotrophoblasts which stain intensely for VISTA (shown in red). Nutrients are then transported further via the fetal blood vessels (CD31, green). Nuclei (DAPI) are shown in blue. Credits: Theme Immunity member Sietse Luk, department of Hematology, LUMC

Management team

Support Management team

  • Jetty Hagen (IMMU)

Committees

In order to achieve the ambition of the immunity research theme, six committees have been appointed (Table 1). These committees are formed by a representative mixture of enthusiastic scientists and physicians-scientists from a variety of departments within the LUMC. Each committee includes at least one young faculty representative. Together the committees are involved in continuing and expanding activities around the Immunity research theme.  

Theme Immunity Committee Members
Investment strategies

Martin Giera (CPM)
Frank Staal (IMMU)
Uli Scherer (REUM)
Ferenc Scheeren (HUID)
Education

Cees van Kooten (NIER)
Mirjam van der Burg (WAKZ)
Annemieke Geluk (INZI)
Bruno Guigas (PARA)
Michael Eikmans (IMMU)
Linda Slot (REUM)
Seminars

Simone Joosten (INZI)
Leendert Trouw (IMMU)
Bart Everts (PARA)
Ellen Kapiteijn (ONCO)
Nadine Pronk-van Montfoort (MDLZ)
Marie-Louise van der Hoorn (VERLOS)
Jolien Suurmond (REUM)
Annemarthe Van der Veen (IMMU)
Liaison committee

Mirjam Heemskerk (HEM)
Arjan Lankester (WAKZ)
Jannie Borst (IMMU)
Judith Kroep (ONCO)
Cynthia Fehres (REUM)
Theme Immunity Committee Members
Investment strategies

Martin Giera (CPM)
Frank Staal (IMMU)
Uli Scherer (REUM)
Ferenc Scheeren (HUID)
Education

Cees van Kooten (NIER)
Mirjam van der Burg (WAKZ)
Annemieke Geluk (INZI)
Bruno Guigas (PARA)
Michael Eikmans (IMMU)
Linda Slot (REUM)
Seminars

Simone Joosten (INZI)
Leendert Trouw (IMMU)
Bart Everts (PARA)
Ellen Kapiteijn (ONCO)
Nadine Pronk-van Montfoort (MDLZ)
Marie-Louise van der Hoorn (VERLOS)
Jolien Suurmond (REUM)
Annemarthe Van der Veen (IMMU)
Liaison committee

Mirjam Heemskerk (HEM)
Arjan Lankester (WAKZ)
Jannie Borst (IMMU)
Judith Kroep (ONCO)
Cynthia Fehres (REUM)
Awards committee

Jannie Borst (IMMU)
Tom Huizinga (REUM)
Diane van der Woude (REUM)
Newsletter committee

Jolien Suurmond (REUM)
Els van Hees (HEM)
Oscar van Hengel (PARA)
Koen van der Maaden (IMMU)
Janine Melsen (WAKZ)

Connected researchers & Facilities

Connected researchers

The Immunity research theme represents 110 unique research groups at the LUMC. These research groups are located at 25 different departments across the LUMC. You can find here an overview of the PI’s representing these research groups, their research interests, expertise and relevant websites. For contact with any of our theme members we welcome you to contact them directly, or send an e-mail Immunity@lumc.nl for an introduction.

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Connected researchers

The Immunity research theme represents 110 unique research groups at the LUMC. These research groups are located at 25 different departments across the LUMC. You can find here an overview of the PI’s representing these research groups, their research interests, expertise and relevant websites. For contact with any of our theme members we welcome you to contact them directly, or send an e-mail Immunity@lumc.nl for an introduction.

Facilities

The theme Immunity members make use of a the broad variety of technical facilities at the LUMC. Please find more information on these facilities here.

Flow cytometry and mass cytometry play an important role in immunological research. Therefore, an important alliance is formed with the LUMC flow cytometry core facility.

Harnessing 3D organoid modeling to investigate human immune-mediated disorders in the intestine.

The picture displays organoids grown from colon biopsies from a patient with inflammatory bowel disease. Credits: Theme Immunity member Vincent van Unen, department of Immunology, LUMC

Opportunities

The theme Immunity is always looking for fellow Immunity enthusiasts! Positions for technicians, PhD students and post docs are advertised through the LUMC website. 

Research collaborations and alliances

The Immunity research theme closely collaborates with the other research themes within the LUMC (Inter)national collaborations:

Contact

Phone number: +31 71 5263827 (during office hours)

Email: immunity@lumc.nl