Department of Radiotherapy
We investigate the tumor micro-environment
and treatment resistance (read more)
Group members
Team Leader
Senior Scientist
PhD students
Anaís Sánchez Castillo (ITN-2019 TheradNET)
Violeta Mendez Ovares (KWF-INTOPROT)
Jonathan Ient (ERC-DIRECT)
Judith Hounjet (NOTCH)
Maikel Verduin (KWF-GLIOMA)
Postdocs
Lorena Giuranno, PhD
Research Technicians
Jolanda Piepers, MSc
Students
-open-
Alumni
Matthew Bull, PhD (University of Auckland NZ)
Amir Ashoorzadeh, PhD (University of Auckland NZ)
Lydie Barbeau, MSc (University of Essen)
Venus Sosa Iglesias, PhD
Erik Mollen, Msc
Amir Ashoorzadeh, PhD (University of Auckland NZ)
Carolien Wansleeben, PhD
Patrick O' Connor (University of Auckland NZ)
Sanaz Yahyanejad, PhD (London ON, CAN)
Alexey Nabatov, PhD
Caroline Hodin, PhD
Frank Spaapen, PhD
Chantal Ramaekers, PhD (Zuyd Hogeschool)
Eelke Gort, PhD, (UMCU)
Geert van Tetering, PhD
Karijn Suijkerbuijk, PhD (UMCU)
Theo van Laar, PhD (UMCU)
Key papers:
Hounjet, J., R. Habets, M.B. Schaaf, T.C. Hendrickx, L.M.O. Barbeau, S. Yahyanejad, K.M. Rouschop, A.J. Groot, and M. Vooijs, The anti-malarial drug chloroquine sensitizes oncogenic NOTCH1 driven human T-ALL to gamma-secretase inhibition. Oncogene, 2019. 38(27): p. 5457-5468
Giuranno, L., C. Wansleeben, R. Iannone, L. Arathoon, J. Hounjet, A.J. Groot, and M. Vooijs, NOTCH signaling promotes the survival of irradiated basal airway stem cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 2019. 317(3): p. L414-L423
Yahyanejad S, Granton PV, Houben A, Vooijs M. (2016) Benefits, limitations and opportunities of NOTCH inhibitors for treatment of Glioma. Transl. Cancer Res. doi: 10.21037/tcr.2016.07.26
Sannerud R, Esselens C. Ejsmont P. Mattera R. Rochin L. ; Kumar Tharkeshwar A. De Baets G. De Wever V. Habets R. Baert V. Vermeire W. Michiels C. Groot A. Wouters R. Dillen K. Vints K.Baatsen P. Munck S. Basi G. Mercken M. Vooijs M. Bollen M. Schymkowitz J. Rousseau F. Bonifacino J. Van Niel G. De Strooper B. Annaert W. Restricted location of PSEN2 γ-secretase determines substrate specificity and generates an intracellular Aβ pool, Cell, Vol. 166, Issue 1, p193–208
Yahyanejad, S., J. Theys, and M. Vooijs, Targeting Notch to overcome radiation resistance. Oncotarget, 2016. 7(7): p. 7610-28.
Yahyanejad, S., H. King, V. Sosa Iglesias, P. Granton, L. Barbeau, S. van Hoof, A. Groot, R. Habets, J. Prickaerts, A. Chalmers, D. Eekers, J. Theys, S. Short, F. Verhaegen, and M. Vooijs, NOTCH blockade combined with radiation therapy and temozolomide prolongs survival of orthotopic glioblastoma. Oncotarget, 2016(April 10, 2016): p. 1-14.
Yahyanejad S, van Hoof SJ, Theys J, Barbeau LM, Granton PV, Paesmans K, Verhaegen F, Vooijs M. An image guided small animal radiation therapy platform (SmART) to monitor glioblastoma progression and therapy response. Radiother Oncol. 2015 Jul 7. pii: S0167-8140(15)00313-8. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2015.06.020. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26163089.
Habets, R.A., A.J. Groot, S. Yahyanejad, K. Tiyanont, S.C. Blacklow, and M. Vooijs,
Human NOTCH2 Is Resistant to Ligand-independent Activation by Metalloprotease
Adam17. J Biol Chem, 2015. 290(23): p. 14705-16.
Groot AJ, Habets R, Yahyanejad S, Hodin CM, Reiss K, Saftig P, Theys J, Vooijs M. Regulated proteolysis of NOTCH2 and NOTCH3 receptors by A-Disintegrin-And-Metalloproteinase (ADAM) 10 and Presenilins. Mol Cell Biol. 2014 May 19. pii: MCB.00206-14
Theys J, Yahyanejad S, Habets R, Span P, Dubois L, Paesmans K, Kattenbeld B, Cleutjens J, Groot AJ, Schuurbiers OC, Lambin P, Bussink J, Vooijs M. High NOTCH activity induces radiation resistance in non small cell lung cancer. Radiother Oncol. 2013 Sep;108(3):440-5. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2013.06.020. Epub 2013 Jul 25.
Funding
Marie-Curie International Training Network (ITN) THERADNET, 14 PhD
Period: 2019-2022
Project coordinator: University of Zurich , (Co-PI)
Other participants: Maastricht Leuven, Dresden, Paris Essen Zurich, Oxford
Funded by: EU
Sum of contract in Euro’s: 4,300 K
Sum to person; 1 PhD -UM
KWF-Dutch Cancer Society
INTO-PROT: Increasing therapeutic window of proton therapy in brain, head and neck cancer’
Period 2019-2023
C-PI workpackage leader
Funded by: KWF
Sum of contract in Euro’s: 1,6 m€
Sum to person; 1,0 FTE Researcher + benchfee
Glioma organoids as patient avatars to improve precision medicine
Grant # UM 2018-11698
period 2018-2020
Project Coordinator: Prof. Marc Vooijs
Sum : 150 K€
Funded by: KWF/ Unieke Kansen , Hoog Risico Alpe d'Huzes
Can lipid lowering drugs improve treatment response in Glioblastoma
Grant # UM 2015-8018
period 2016-2018
Project Coordinator: Prof. Marc Vooijs
Sum : 150 K€
Funded by: KWF/ Unieke Kansen , Hoog Risico Alpe d'Huzes
RADIATE: Radiation Innovations for Therapy and Education
Grant:# 642623
Period: 2015-2018
Project coordinator: University of Oxford , UK
Other participants: Maastricht, Leuven, Dresden, Paris, Essen, Zurich
Sum of contract in Euro’s: 3500 K
Sum to person; 14 PhD
Funded by: H2020 Marie-Curie International Training Network (ITN)
Targeting Notch/g-secretase to enhance standard treatment for non-small cell lung cancer
Grant# 13-1197
Period: 2013-2016
Project coordinator: Prof. Marc Vooijs
Sum awarded: 280 K€
Funded by: World Wide Cancer Research (formerly AICR)
Capitalizing on Notch Biomarkers (CapNOTCH)
Grant # 334987
Period: 2013-2014
Project coordinator: Prof. Marc Vooijs
Sum awarded: 150 K€
Funded by: ERC PoC (Proof of Concept)
Disabling radiation resistance in Cancer treatment (DIRECT)
Grant # 617060
Period: 2013-2018
Project coordinator: Prof. Marc Vooijs
Sum awarded: 1,85 M€
Funded by: ERC-Consolidator grant
Targeting the Notch protease interface (NOTCH PROTEOLYSIS)
Grant # 208259
Period 2008-2014
Project coordinator: Prof Marc Vooijs
Sum awarded: 1,2 M€
Funded: ERc Starting grant (ERC-Stg)