Clinical Haematology
Members
Staff:
PhD Students:
Technicians:
Research Projects
Research project 1:
Advanced drug development trials for patients with myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic disorders
In phase I/II clinical trials the focus is on the application of new molecules such as hypomethylating agents (Azacitidine/Decitabine), HDAC-inhibitors (Belinostat, Vorinostat, Panobinostat), MEK-inhibitors, and newer chemotherapeutic agents (Laromustine, Clofarabine). Most of the trials are strategic, in national and/or multinational cooperative setting including: Eortc, Hovon, BHS, and others. Included is the topic of the prevalence of non-adherence to oral therapies in Haematology, an underestimated major clinical problem. This is being studied further, with emphasis on the development of methods and devices to enhance adherence.
Research project 2:
Chemotherapy induced neurocognitive disorders in acute leukaemia and stem cell transplant recipients.
This trial is supported by a grant from the Oncology Care Centre. It includes non-invasive functional MRI scans, in collaboration with the Department of Radiology (Prof. Dr. R. Achten).
Research project 3:
The investigation of MRI/bone marrow signature in multiple myeloma patients at diagnosis, during disease evolution, under treatment and at follow-up. This project runs in collaboration with the Department of Radiology (Prof. Dr. K. Verstraete).
Research project 4:
Clinical drug development and therapeutic modality trials in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders.
- Drug development trials Phase 1-3 in follicular and indolent NHL, B-CLL, mantle cell and diffuse large cell NHL with new anti-CD20 antibodies (GA101, ofatumomab), chemotherapy combinations (bendamustine, bortezomib), immunotoxins (CMC544), other Ab (antiCD40, CD19, CD23)
- Strategic trials in multicenter academic setting in B-DLCL (GELA), and T-NHL (belinostat, A-CHOP)
Myeloma trials in multicenter academic in Intergroupe Francophone du myelome (MM020, elderly) and drug development (Vorinostat plus bortezomib).
Research project 5:
Collaboration with department Intensive Care on patients with haematological malignancies requiring advanced life support (Prof D Benoit.
Research project 6:
In vitro study of cell death induction by interference with signal transduction and unfolded protein response in B cell lymphoid malignancies. Prof F Offner, PhD students J Boelens, S Lust, H Van Melckebeke (FWO-aspirant) in cooperation with Dept Experimental Cancerology (Prof Bracke, dr Van Hoecke)
Research project 7:
Fundamental and pre-clinical research focusing on the development of the tumor antigen specific T-cell therapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies (Dr. Tessa Kerre (with FWO support), in close cooperation with the Divisions of Immunology (Prof. Bart Vandekerckhove and Prof. J. Plum).
Research project 8:
Clinical phase I and II trials in the context of stem cell transplantation: reduced intensity conditioning, haplo-identical stem cell transplantation, cord blood stem cell transplantation, mesenchymal stem cell infusion for the prevention and treatment of graft-versus-host-disease and graft failure, within the Belgian Haematological Society and EBMT (Dr. T. Kerre and Prof. Dr. L. Noens).
Publications 2009
Noens L, van Lierde MA, De Bock R, Verhoef G, Zachee P, Berneman Z, Martiat P, Mineur P, Van Eygen K, Macdonald K, De Geest S, Albrecht T, Abraham I. Prevalence, determinants, and outcomes of nonadherence to imatinib therapy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia: the ADAGIO study. Blood 2009, 113:5401-5411.
Marcus R, Imrie K, Solal-Celigny P, Catalano JV, Dmoszynska A, Raposo JC, Offner FC, Gomez-Codina J, Belch A, Cunningham D, Wassner-Fritsch E, Stein G. Phase III Study of R-CVP Compared With Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, and Prednisone Alone in Patients With Previously Untreated Advanced Follicular Lymphoma. J Clin Oncol 2008, 26(28):4579-86.
Hess G, Herbrecht R, Romaguera J, Verhoef G, Crump M, Gisselbrecht C, Laurell A, Offner F, Strahs A, Berkenblit A, Hanushevsky O, Clancy J, Hewes B, Moore L, Coiffier B. Phase III study to evaluate temsirolimus compared with investigator's choice therapy for the treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma. J Clin Oncol 2009, 27(23):3822-9.
Depuydt PO, Benoit DD, Roosens CD, Offner FC, Noens LA, Decruyenaere JM.
The impact of the initial ventilatory strategy on survival in hematological patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. J Crit Care 2009, Aug 12.
Boelens J, Lust S, Vanhoecke B, Offner F. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia. Anticancer Research 2009, 29(2):605-15.
Boelens J, Lust S, Van Bockstaele F, Van Gele M, Janssens A, Derycke L, Vanhoecke B, Philippé J, Bracke M, Offner F. Steroid effects on ZAP-70 and SYK in relation to apoptosis in poor prognosis chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leuk Res 2009, Mar 16.
Lust S, Vanhoecke B, Van Gele, M, Boelens J, Van Melckebeke H, Kaileh M, Vanden Berghe W, Haegeman G, Philippé J, Bracke M, Offner F. Xanthohumol Activates the Proapoptotic Arm of the Unfolded Protein Response in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Anticancer Research 2009, 29: 3797-3806.
Van Coppernolle S, Verstichel G, Timmermans F, Velghe I, Vermijlen D, De Smedt M, Leclercq G, Plum J, Taghon T, Vandekerckhove B, Kerre T. Functionally mature CD4 and CD8 TCRalphabeta cells are generated in OP9-DL1 cultures from human CD34+ hematopoietic cells. J Immunol 2009, 183(8):4859-70.
Complete publication list Prof. Offner
Complete publication list Prof. Noens
Research infrastructure
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Dedicated clinical trial office with fulltime datamanagers (4)
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Cooperation with the Department of Radiology (bone marrow signature MRI scan, functional brain MRI scan), with the Department of Clinical Biology and Molecular Biology, with the Department of Immunology (in vitro and in vivo models for the study of human T cell development from haematopoeitic and embryonic stem cells, in vivo acute leukemia model using immunodeficient mice)
Collaborations
- Department of Radiology: (UGent) Prof. dr. K. Verstraete, Prof. dr. R. Achten
- Department of Psychiatry: (UGent) Prof. dr. K. Audenaert, Psycholoog: Stijn Verleden
- Department of Immunology and Clinical Biology: (UGent) Prof. dr. J. Plum, Prof. dr. B. Vandekerckhove, dr. F. Timmermans, M. De Smedt, G. Leclercq, T. Taghon.
- Hovon
- Eortc
- BHS
- IFM
- Gela
