Contact

Laboratory for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy
Ghent University
Harelbekestraat 72
9000 Gent
Belgium
Tel: 0032 9 2648047 (secretary)
Tel: 0032 9 264 8074 (direct)
Fax: 0032 9 2648189
E-mail: Rein.Verbeke@UGent.be

Biography

Rein Verbeke obtained his master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences - drug development at Ghent University (Belgium) in 2013. After graduating, he joined the Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines (Ghent University, Belgium) and started a PhD project under the supervision of Prof. Stefaan De Smedt. His PhD focused on mRNA-based vaccination for the treatment of cancer, with an emphasis on the design of mRNA lipid nanoparticles and the adjuvancy of mRNA vaccines. Rein’s postdoctoral research continues on the validation of a novel mRNA nanovaccine (GALSOMES). This mRNA platform combines the delivery of mRNA vaccines with glycolipid adjuvants, which has the potential to evoke effective antitumor immunity by targeting conventional T cells and invariant Natural Killer T cells.

Main publications

Rein Verbeke, Ine Lentacker, Stefaan C. De Smedt and Heleen Dewitte. Three decades of mRNA vaccine development. Nano Today (2019) In Press
Rein Verbeke, Ine Lentacker, Karine Breckpot, Jonas Janssens, Serge Van Calenbergh, Stefaan C. De Smedt and Heleen Dewitte. Broadening the Message: a nanovaccine Co-loaded with Messenger RNA and α-GalCer Induce Antitumor Immunity through Conventional and Natural Killer T Cells. ACS Nano 13 (2) (2019) 1655-1669.
Rein Verbeke, Ine Lentacker, Laura Wayteck, Karine Breckpot, Mieke Van Bockstal, Benedicte Descamps, Christian Vanhove, Stefaan C. De Smedt and Heleen Dewitte. Co-delivery of nucleoside-modified mRNA and TLR agonists for cancer immunotherapy: Restoring the immunogenicity of immunosilent mRNA. Journal of Controlled Release 28 (2017) 287-300.