C.M. van Drunen PhD

foto

PhD C.M. van Drunen

Position
Assistant Professor
Main activities
Research, Other
Specialisation
Molecular Immunology
Focus of research

Background
There is a growing awareness that the initiation of the immune response by inflammatory cells, like dendritic cells (DC), takes place with the context of the local mucosal surface. All signals derived from the environment or from local tissue, are integrated, ultimately defining the immune response. Within the ENT department we study this process in relation to the pathology of allergy and chronic rhinosinusitis.

Allergy
We have shown that at birth the local immune system is immature and that this is characterized by local production of a mediator. The level of this regulatory cytokine in epithelial cells and endothelial cells is directly correlated with the level of symptoms in allergic individuals. We have shown that nasal epithelium cells in allergic individuals is in an constant activated state and that secreted mediators may affect function and dynamics of tissue resident dendritic cells.

Chronic rhinosinusitis
Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa that strongly impacts on the life of patients. The pathogenesis of the disease is unknown, but is associated with diverse co-morbidities, including asthma. Using diverse approaches we study underlying pathological mechanisms focussing on the role of micro-organisms and the role of epithelium-fibroblast interactions

 

Amsterdam UMC Research Institutes
AMC departments
Key publications
  • Reinartz Susanne M., van Tongeren Joost, van Egmond Danielle, de Groot Esther J. J., Fokkens Wytske J., van Drunen Cornelis M. Dendritic cells in nasal mucosa of subjects with different allergic sensitizations Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2011;128 (4):887-890 [PubMed]
  • Golebski K., Röschmann K. I. L., Toppila-Salmi S., Hammad H., Lambrecht B. N., Renkonen R., Fokkens W. J., van Drunen C. M. The multi-faceted role of allergen exposure to the local airway mucosa Allergy 2013;68 (2):152-160 [PubMed]
  • Golebski Korneliusz, van Egmond Danielle, de Groot Esther J., Roschmann Kristina I. L., Fokkens Wytske J., van Drunen Cornelis M. EGR-1 and DUSP-1 are important negative regulators of pro-allergic responses in airway epithelium Molecular immunology 2015;65 (1):43-50 [PubMed]
  • Tomassen Peter, Vandeplas Griet, van Zele Thibaut, Cardell Lars-Olaf, Arebro Julia, Olze Heidi, Förster-Ruhrmann Ulrike, Kowalski Marek L., Olszewska-Ziąber Agnieszka, Holtappels Gabriele, de Ruyck Natalie, Wang Xiangdong, van Drunen Cornelis, Mullol Joaquim, Hellings Peter, Hox Valerie, Toskala Elina, Scadding Glenis, Lund Valerie, Zhang Luo, Fokkens Wytske, Bachert Claus Inflammatory endotypes of chronic rhinosinusitis based on cluster analysis of biomarkers Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2016;137 (5):1449-1456.e4 [PubMed]
  • van Drunen C., Fokkens Wystske Immunology and the Nose: From Basic Science to Clinicalin: C. Georgalas, W. J. Fokkens, editors. Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery. From the Lab to the Operating Room: An Evidence-based Approach. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2013. p. 62, ISBN 9783131535412
All Publications
Research programmes

PhD C.M. van Drunen (Deregulation of local mucosal immuneresponses in respiratory pathology)

The prevelance of inflammatory airway diseases like allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis is constantly increasing. Over the last 20 years the number of people suffering from allergic rhinitis has quadrupled and currently about a quarter of the Dutch population has respiratory airway complaints. Not only is the burden of disease for the patients large with its huge impact on the quality of life, but also the burden for society. Increasing direct medication costs for the health care system and the indirect costs from reduced productivity are a major concern. The mainstay of the research into how immune responses are initiated within the local nasal mucosa is concentrated in four closely related projects. The first project focuses on the interaction of nasal epithelial cells with allergens and the interaction of epithelial with tissue resident cells. The second project focusses on the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis/nasal polyposis and non-allergic rhinitis.

Prof. PhD W.J. Fokkens (Pathology of upper airway and digestive system)

Current PhD Candidates
Current research funding
  • Europese Unie
  • Medical Research BV