NRS Webinar-From Cells to Fibrosis: Mechanistic Advances in ILD
Invited Speakers
Dr. Jan-Willem Duitman (Amsterdam UMC) “Macrophages in fibrosis; Early Growth Response 2 is involved in proliferation, phagocytotic capacity and fibrogenesis-related genes in macrophages”
Dr. Thomas Koudstaal (Erasmus MC) “Bridging the gap from laboratory to the clinic: Translational approaches in Pulmonary Fibrosis”
Dr. Jan-Willem Duitman:
Currently I am an Assistant Professor at the department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Amsterdam University Medical Center (AUMC) and a Principal Investigator at the department of Experimental Immunology. Over the last years I have established a research line focusing on the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of pulmonary fibrosis in Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILDs).
I performed my PhD in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam focusing on the transcriptional regulation of acute inflammatory responses during bacterial pneumonia. However, towards the end of my PhD I gained interest in the pathophysiology of pulmonary fibrosis and shifted my focus investigating the role of proteases and Protease-activated receptor-1 and -2 in pulmonary fibrosis development. Being a basic scientist with a wish to perform translational research I moved to the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Bruno Crestani in Paris and worked there for three years as a postdoctoral research fellow. During this period I gained expertise on clinical aspects of pulmonary fibrosis and performed translational research using patient material from the large biobank established at the Crestani’s lab.
In my current position I connect translational and basic research on pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development and progression of pulmonary fibrosis within the ILD center of expertise at the AUMC.
Since 2023 I am the PI of the P4O2 ILD study, a real-life observational prospective non-interventional cohort study in which ILD patients with varying diagnoses are followed for 5 years to identify risk factors and biomarkers for progressive fibrotic ILD. Moreover, I am leading the FIBROTARGET public-private consortium, consisting of the Amsterdam UMC and LinXis Biopharmaceuticals, that aims to develop targeted drug delivery for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. I’m also involved in a project that aims to develop Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) imaging techniques to assess progressive ILD in an early disease state. Translational research in my group focuses on the role of proteases in the development and progression of pulmonary fibrosis and the role of macrophages in shaping the fibrotic responses and their crosstalk with fibroblasts. Additionally, we develop a label-free imaging technique to assess tissue dynamics in the setting of pulmonary fibrosis using Higher Harmonic Generation Microscopy and Precision-Cut Lung Slice cultures.
Dr. Thomas Koudstaal, MD, PhD, is a pulmonologist and researcher at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, specializing in interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and pulmonary fibrosis. His research focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis and translating these insights into improved approaches to diagnosis and treatment. His research includes translational research into biomarkers, immunological mechanisms, molecular pathways, and novel therapeutic strategies for pulmonary fibrosis and ILD. He is also actively involved in national and international collaborations in the fields of ILD, research, and education. Through the European Reference Network for Rare and Complex Respiratory Diseases (ERN-LUNG), he contributes to international collaboration and knowledge exchange in rare respiratory diseases and is involved in educational initiatives such as the ERN-LUNG Academy, supporting the training and development of healthcare professionals across Europe.
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