Sandra van Vliet Group members

Thanos Blanas (PhD student)
The aim of my research (funded by the European Union-GlyCoCan project) is to elucidate the impact of aberrant tumor glycosylation on the induction of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in the context of Colorectal Cancer (CRC). Email: a.blanas@vumc.nl

Lenneke Cornelissen (PhD student)
Tumor cells generally have an aberrant glycosylation pattern on their cell surface, independent of the tumor type. These glycan structures can be recognized by lectin receptors on immune cells. My research investigates how these tumor-associated glycan structures influence the anti-tumor immune response and contribute to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Email: l.cornelissen@vumc.nl

Joost van der Horst (research technician)
I study the cause of abberant glycosylation in NSCLC and colorectal cancer, and the interaction of these glycans with the immune system. To this end, I use both patient material and cell lines in which we have knocked out genes in the glycosylation pathway, using CRISPR/Cas9. Techniques I use include cell culture, transfection, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry and various in vitro assays.

Dr. Neha Sahasradbudhe (postdoctoral researcher)
Aberrant glycosylation is a prominent characteristic of a tumor. My aim is to determine mechanisms that lead to expression of aberrant glycosylation that result in immune-evasion in tumors. I am also developing 3D tumor model using fertilized chicken eggs where we can study immune cell differentiation in 3D tumor microenvironment. Email: n.sahasrabudhe@vumc.nl

Dr. Anouk Zaal (postdoctoral researcher)
Many tumors display alterations in biosynthetic pathways of glycosylation, resulting in increased expression of tumor-associated glycans. In this project we investigate how tumor cells rewire metabolism and tumor-associated glycosylation patterns to support immune evasion and cancer progression. We combine techniques such as RNA sequencing, lectin stainings and metabolic profiling. Email: a.zaal@vumc.nl