Jan Van den Bossche is Associate Professor at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology at Amsterdam UMC. He leads the Translational Macrophage Immunometabolism group IMMUNOMETLAB. His young and enthusiastic team specializes in the immune/metabolic profiling and targeting of macrophages and other immune cells, particularly in the context of cancer and cardiometabolic disease.
IMMUNOMETLAB RESEARCH
Jan Van den Bossche’s lab performs pioneering research on macrophage immunometabolism. The overall aim is to explain how metabolic reprogramming regulates macrophage subsets in different settings, focusing on cancer and cardiovascular disease. By unravelling key questions in macrophage immunometabolism, the ultimate goal is to demonstrate whether and how targeting macrophage metabolism can be used for future therapy. Current research topics include immunometabolites (succinate, itaconate and new-found ones), metabolic immune-cancer interactions, metabolic enzymes (including ACLY; ATP citrate lyase).
Over the past decade, Jan’s team established an immunometabolic profiling platform allowing the phenotypic, functional and metabolic characterization of macrophage and other immune subsets in a fast and cost-effective way
In-house techniques include extracellular flux analysis (Seahorse), metabolomics, Cytation multi-mode imaging plate reader, transcriptomics, and cytometry- and imaging-based single-cell metabolic profiling.
EXPERTISE & OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION
We are always keen to collaborate with both academia and industry on topics related to immunometabolism, myeloid cell subsets and (chronic) inflammation in the context of distinct (Western) diseases. We are always seeking new strategies to modulate macrophage phenotypes, promote resolution of inflammation, dampen (chronic) inflammation.
Common interests include the impact of lifestyle factors (such as diet, physical activity, sleep,…) on immune function, metabolism, inflammation, susceptibility to infections, disease risk and overall human health. We explore immunometabolism as a common denominator in these processes and consider it as a bridge between environment and immune health.
Immune-metabolic profiling platform
We established a broad array of techniques to phenotypically, functionally and metabolically profile immune cell subsets in a semi-high-throughput manner. This allows us to efficiently screen the effect of small molecules and genetic interventions on macrophages in vitro. Key targets are then further tested in in vivo disease models and patient material.
