dr. W.H. (Wayel) Abdulahad

Assistant Professor / Principal Investigator

Telephone:

E-mail:

w.abdulahad umcg.nl

My research over the past years has focused on investigating the phenotype and function of pathogenic T-cells and B cells in several autoimmune diseases to identify new biomarkers/targets for therapeutic intervention. I am actively involved as an investigator or co-investigator for several projects as summarized below:

Research title: Evaluating in vitro effect of KnotBodies on cellular immunity in GPA patients

Name of coordinating person: Dr. W. Abdulahad & Dr. Aneesh Karratt Vellatt

Funding: Maxion Therapeutics

Aim: To assess the impact of the KnotBodies on the effector function of CD4 T cells from GPA patients.
Research title: Utilizing characteristics of regulatory T-cells as a predictive tool for disease progression and treatment response in ANCA-associated vasculitis. Name of coordinating person: Dr. W. Abdulahad & Prof.Dr. E. Brouwer Funding: Dutch Arthritis Foundation

Aim: To determine the potential of utilizing regulatory T cell (Treg) characteristics to monitor disease progression, predict treatment response, and identify AAV patients prone to relapse.
Research title: The effects of anaesthetic agents on the distribution and function of circulating immune cells.

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. M. Struys, Dr. D. Bosch & Dr. W. Abdulahad.

Funding: Dept. of Anaesthesiology / UMCG.

Aim: To assess the hypothesis that an immune-protective anesthesia strategy for cancer patients preserves the immune response during endoscopic colon surgery.
Research title: The role of S. aureus in the induction of autoimmunity in ANCA associated vasculitis

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. P. Heeringa, Dr. W. Abdulahad & Dr. A. Rutgers

Funding: Royal Thai Government Scholarship

Aim: To predict and monitor processes that trigger autoimmune inflammation in ANCA associated vasculitis
Research title: Evaluation of the JAK-STAT pathway in CD4+ T cells as candidate stratification biomarkers in Giant Cell Arteritis

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. L. Brouwer, Prof.Dr. A.M. Boots & Dr. W. Abdulahad

Funding: Dutch Arthritis Foundation

Aim: To evaluate if analysis of the JAK-STAT pathway may assist the recognition of GCA patients eligible for tocilizumab treatment.
Research title: Target-to-B

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. T. Kuijpers, Prof.Dr. M. van Ham, Prof.Dr. R. Toes

Funding: The PPP allowance (Health Holland), the SGF and Pfizer B.V., Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V. and Acerta Pharma B.V.

Aim: To assess common and individual B-cell targets, identify biomarkers predicting therapy-outcomes and allow improved patient stratification for optimized therapies, acting as central hub to disseminate novel B-cell-directed therapies including vaccination strategies, and evaluation thereof.
Research title: RELapses prevENTion in chronic autoimmune disease: common mechanisms and co-morbidities (RELENT)

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. R. Kain & Dr. E. Brouwer

Funding: NIH

Aim: to shed light on the course and mechanisms of diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis, and to develop improved diagnostics and intervention strategies with the expected impact of delaying the onset of chronic autoimmune diseases
Research title: A mechanistic study focusing on effector T-cell subsets and regulatory B- and T-cells upon rituximab treatment in AAV-patients (RAVE-study)

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. C. Kallenberg & Dr. W. Abdulahad

Funding: Immune Tolerance Network (ITN/NIH).

Aim: to test the hypothesis that rituximab treatment in AAV eliminates not only the humoral autoimmune response but also the cellular part, so inducing tolerance to the autoantigens.
Research title: Infectious triggers of chronic autoimmunity (INTRICATE).

Name of coordinating person: Prof.Dr. R. Kain, Prof.Dr. C. Kallenberg & Prof.Dr. P. Heeringa

Funding: European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme

Aim: to find out the links between infections and autoimmune diseases.
Research title: Immunomodulation of TEM cells as a novel treatment for systemic vasculitis

Name of coordinating person: Dr. W. Abdulahad & Prof.Dr. P. Heeringa

Funding: Dutch Arthritis Foundation

Aim: To determine whether selective targeting of CD4+TEM via blockade of Kv1.3 channels is a novel, specific and less harmful therapeutic strategy for AAV.
Research title: Potential role of MAIT cells in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis

Name of coordinating person: Dr. L. Brouwer & Dr. W. Abdulahad

Funding: Janssen-Cilag B.V.

Aim: To determine whether the presence of MAIT cells is associated with different stages of ankylosing spondylitis.
Research title: MicroRNA profiling of T cells in ANCA-associated vasculitis, insight in pathogenesis and monitoring of disease Name of coordinating

person: Dr. JS. Sander & Prof.Dr. P. Heeringa

Funding: Dutch Kidney Foundation

Aim: To investigate the impact of specific microRNAs in TReg cell function in AAV-patients
Research title: ANCA associated vasculitis is a relapsing disease; the role of regulatory B cells

Name of coordinating person: Dr. A. Rutgers & Prof.Dr. P. Heeringa

Funding: Dutch Arthritis Foundation

Aim: To better understand the role of regulatory B cells in disease pathogenesis and to better predict disease flares in order to individualize treatment
Research title: Abatacept treatment in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome: an open label study

Name of coordinating person: Prof. Dr. H. Bootsma, and Dr. P.M. Meiners

Funding: Bristol Myers Squibb, Rueil Malmaison, France.

Aim: to evaluate the efficacy and safety of abatacept treatment in 15 patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome.
Research title: Which B cells are responsible for initiation of Sjögren’s Syndrome?

Name of coordinating person: Prof. Dr. C.G.M. Kallenberg and Prof. Dr. N. Bos

Funding: Dutch Arthritis Foundation

Aim: to delineate which B cells are the initiating cells in onset of primary Sjögren’s Syndrome.

Last modified:

08 October 2024 10.54 a.m.