In Vogelvlucht

Promoties

In 2021, ten PhD candidates from the Department of Human Genetics successfully defended their PhD thesis and acquired the title of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the Universiteit van Amsterdam of door de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

De volgende PhD studenten promoveerden bij de Universiteit van Amsterdam.

De Krijger, I. Control of repair activities at DNA double strand breaks and telomeres.
Supervisors: van Lohuizen, M.M.S., Jacobs, J.J.L. Section Genome Analysis.

Van den Heuvel, L.M. Informing relatives at risk of inherited (cardiac) conditions: On our way towards the best approach.
Supervisors: Van Tintelen, P.P., Smets, E.M.A., Christiaans, I. Section Community Genetics.

Kleinendorst, L. Genetic obesity: Disorders and diagnostics.
Supervisors: Meijers-Heijboer, Elizabeth J., Mannens, Marcel M.A.M., Van Haelst, M.M., Van den Akker, E.L.T. Sections Clinical Genetics and Genome Analysis.

Verdediging proefschrift door Lotte Kleinendorst, PhD
Secties Klinische Genetica en Genoomanalyse

Chilunga, F.P. Beyond the traditional risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases among transitioning African populations: An investigation into novel epidemiological and epigenetic factors.
Supervisors: Agyemang, Charles O., Requena-Méndez, Ana, Mannens, Marcel M.A.M., Henneman, Peter. Section Genome Analysis.

De volgende PhD studenten promoveerden bij de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Persoon, C.M. Neuropeptide secretion principles: Vesicle populations, characteristics and fusion mechanisms.
Supervisors: Verhage, Matthijs, Toonen, R.F.G. Section Functional Genomics.

Van Westen-Erbrink, R.M. Molecular mechanisms of Ca2+-dependent neuropeptide secretion.
Supervisors: Verhage, Matthijs, Toonen, R.F.G. Section Functional Genomics.

Benedict, B. Vulnerabilities of cancer cells suffering from DNA replication stress.
Supervisors: Te Riele, Henricus, Foijer, F., Wolthuis, Rob. Section Oncogenetics.

Aslam, M.A. Decoding lymphocyte development and differentiation.
Supervisors: Te Riele, Henricus, Jacobs, Hans, Van Leeuwen, Fred. Section Oncogenetics.

Martens, F.K. Polygenic risk prediction of common diseases: Design, evaluation and interpretation of prediction studies.
Supervisors: Cornel, Martina, Janssens, Cecile, Tonk, Ilse. Section Community Genetics.

Stuurman, K.E. Increased nuchal translucency: From etiology to clinical consequences.
Supervisors: Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne, Henneman, Lidewij, Elting, Mariet. Sections Clinical Genetics and Community Genetics.

Onderzoekssubsidies en financiering

Wetenschappers van de afdeling Humane Genetica waren succesvol in het aantrekken van competitieve financiering om vitale projecten te initiëren of voort te zetten om de toekomst van DNA-diagnostiek en genetisch onderzoek vorm te geven. Gezamenlijk werd in 2021 bijna 10 miljoen euro aan financiering verkregen. Hieronder lichten we een aantal prestigieuze subsidies uit.

Prof. dr. Matthijs Verhage, co-founder of the BRAINMODEL consortium, section Functional Genomics. Project: ‘Multidisciplinary Consortia Programme Pluripotent Stem cells for Inherited Diseases and Embryonic Research (PSIDER).’ ZonMw. € 4,000,000.

Dr. Henne Holstege, section Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Aging. Project: ‘Spotlight on the neglected genome to escape dementia.’ VIDI, Dutch Research Council (NWO). € 920,000.

Dr. Henne Holstege, section Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Aging. Project: ‘AD-REPEAT: Comparison of genetic repeat expansions between Alzheimer’s Disease patients and cognitively healthy centenarians.’ Topconsortium voor Kennis and Innovatie Life Sciences & Health and Innovation Exchange Amsterdam grant for Public-Private Partnerships. € 917,955.

Dr. Erik Sistemans, section Genome Analysis. ‘Implementation non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT).’ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). € 983,891.

Dr. Rob Wolthuis, section Oncogenetics. ‘Safeguarding the human genome by the ELOF1 network: at the crossroads of transcription, repair and replication.’ Dutch Research Council (NWO). € 325,000.

Dr. Wiep Scheper, section Functional Genomics. Setting up an in vitro model for tau and alpha synuclein co-pathology to test Discoveric Bio alpha antibodies. Discoveric Bio alpha. € 255,215.

Dr. Eszter Emri and Prof. Arthur Bergen, section Ophthalmogenetics. 3D printing of biosynthetic stem cell-derived retinal organoid tissue for modelling and therapeutic targeting of age-related macular degeneration. Stichting Uitzicht. € 150,000.

Dr. Daoud Sie, section Genome Analysis. ‘In depth characterization of leukemia minimal residual disease using single cell transcriptomic analysis combined with quantitative cell surface protein profiling.’ Cancer Center Amsterdam Foundation. € 79.595.

Wetenschappelijke Publicaties

In 2021, a total of 292 peer-reviewed scientific articles were published by researchers affiliated with the Department of Human Genetics. Below, we highlight a select number of scientific publications to illustrate the broad scope and impact of our collective efforts to pursue new knowledge for the benefit of human well-being.

Beekhuis-Hoekstra, S.D., et al. 2021, Systematic assessment of variability in the proteome of iPSC derivatives. Stem Cell Research, 56, 102512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2021.102512

Chilunga, F.P., et al. (2021) Epigenetic-age acceleration in the emerging burden of cardiometabolic diseases among migrant and non-migrant African populations: a population-based cross-sectional RODAM substudy. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2, e327-e339. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-7568(21)00087-8

De Ruiter, R.D., et al. (2021) Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva: What Have We Achieved and Where Are We Now? Follow-up to the 2015 Lorentz Workshop. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12, 732728. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.732728

Glykofridis, I.E., et al (2021) Loss of FLCN-FNIP1/2 induces a non-canonical interferon response in human renal tubular epithelial cells. eLife, 10, e61630. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.61630

Holstege, H., et al. (2021), Exome sequencing identifies rare damaging variants in the ATB8B4 and ABCA1 genes as novel risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's Dement., 17: e055982. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.055982

Jansen, M.E., et al. (2021) Opportunistische farmacogenetische screening DNA-data gebruiken die al beschikbaar zijn. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 165, D5130.

Moro, A., et al. (2021) Dynamin controls neuropeptide secretion by organizing dense-core vesicle fusion sites. Science Advances, 7, eabf0659. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf0659

Lo Faro, V., et al. (2021) Mitochondrial Genome Study Identifies Association Between Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Variants in MT-CYB, MT-ND4 Genes and Haplogroups. Frontiers in Genetics, 12, 781189. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.781189

Rigter, T., et al. (2021) Moving somatic gene editing to the clinic: routes to market access and reimbursement in Europe. European Journal of Human Genetics, 29, 1477-1484. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-021-00877-y

Sadikovic, B., et al. (2021) Clinical epigenomics: genome-wide DNA methylation analysis for the diagnosis of Mendelian disorders. Genet. Med., 23, 1065–1074. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41436-020-01096-4

Tesi, N., et al. (2021) 'SnpXplorer: A web application to explore human SNP-associations and annotate SNP-sets. Nucleic Acids Research, 49, pp. W603-W612. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkab410

Van den Akker, E.B., et al. (2021) Dynamic clonal hematopoiesis and functional T-cell immunity in a supercentenarian. Leukemia, 35, 2125–2129. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-020-01086-0

Van der Meij, K.R.M., et al. (2021) Uptake of fetal aneuploidy screening after the introduction of the non-invasive prenatal test: A national population-based register study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand., 100: 1265– 1272. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14091

Van der Weegen, Y., et al. (2021) ELOF1 is a transcription-coupled DNA repair factor that directs RNA polymerase II ubiquitylation. Nat. Cell Biol., 23, 595–607. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-021-00688-9ts

Van Westen, R., et al. (2021) Neuromodulator release in neurons requires two functionally redundant calcium sensors. PNAS, 118, e2012137118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2012137118

Wagstaff, P.E., et al. (2021) An alternative approach to produce versatile retinal organoids with accelerated ganglion cell development. Sci. Rep., 11, 1101. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79651-x

Benoemingen

Gezondheidsraad

Prof. dr. Martina Cornel werd herbenoemd in de Gezondheidsraad door Koninklijk decreet voor een nieuwe termijn van vier jaar. De Gezondheidsraad is een onafhankelijk wetenschappelijk adviesorgaan voor overheid en het parlement bestaande uit 111 leden.

Research Institute Amsterdam Public Health

Dr. Tessel Rigter werd aangesteld als programma leider ‘Personalized Medicine’ van Amsterdam UMC ondezoeksinstituut Amsterdam Public Health (APH).

In de media

Feiten en nummers

Research output
Refereed articles:
292
Non-refereed articles:
23
Book chapters:
2
Professional publications:
3
Publications aimed at the general public:
3
Other research output:
4
Totaal:
327

Colofoon

Redactie
Esther Pos, Henri van de Vrugt, Irene Kroon, José Roest, Lies Egberts, Rob Wolthuis, and Rogier Postma.

Project management, teksten, editing & vertaling

New Haven Biosciences Consulting

Design & Layout

Susette Solórzano & Dorian Carcuz

Email:
susette@geniusassistant.com, renato@carcuz.com

Foto’s

Sebastiaan de Leng, Adobe Stock, and Amsterdam UMC Image Library

Publicatiedatum

September 2022

Contact:

Afdeling Humane Genetica

Amsterdam UMC

Locatie AMC

Meibergdreef 9

1105 AZ Amsterdam

Nederland

Email: stafsecrhga@amsterdamumc.nl

Delen van dit jaaroverzicht verschenen eerder in publicaties van Amsterdam UMC en het Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research.

nl_NL_formalDutch