Yvonne de Visser
Research
Inflammatory lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are marked by chronic inflammation and airway remodeling, which significantly impair lung function and diminish quality of life for millions worldwide. These conditions are often aggravated by viral infections, which not only trigger acute exacerbations but also contribute to long-term lung damage. Understanding how viral infections interact with these inflammatory lung diseases is essential for developing more effective treatments.
Lung epithelial cells play a crucial role as a barrier and in initiating immune responses during viral infections. In my previous work, I developed a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi)-based system in primary epithelial cells, which has proven to be an effective tool for investigating the molecular pathways involved in viral infections. This approach allows for the targeted silencing of specific genes, providing deeper insights into the role of individual molecules in disease progression and viral interactions.
My research aims to explore why individuals with inflammatory lung diseases show different responses to viral infections, focusing particularly on the role of lung epithelial cells and their interaction with the innate immune system. To achieve this, I will use advanced culturing techniques, such as primary cell cultures, organoids, and 3D models, together with CRISPRi-based system. Collaborating closely with the PulmoScience Lab will further enhance this research by combining their expertise in lung disease models and advanced cell culture systems, ultimately improving our understanding of viral pathogenesis in compromised lung tissue.
Curriculum vitae
I pursued dual Master's degrees in Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences and Bio-Medical Sciences at Leiden University. My research journey began with an internships at Prof. M. van Eck’s lab in the Department of Biopharmaceutics at LACDR, at Prof. P. Nibbering’s lab at the department of Infectious Diseases at LUMC and at Prof. M. van den Buuse’s lab at the Mental Health Research Instute in Melbourne for which I received the Suzanne Hovinga Award.
I obtained my PhD at LUMC, investigating the effects of intervention studies on lung and heart injury in an experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia model using neonatal rats, supervised by Prof. F. Walthers and Dr. G. Wagenaar.
From 2012 to 2017, I worked as a scientist in a collaboration between Janssen Pharmaceutica in Belgium in the Department of Immunology and Translational Research and the LUMC. Our research aimed to uncover the pathways involving novel targets in lung development and COPD. We developed new screening platforms and tools, which led to the identification of targets involved in ciliogenesis.
Building on this work, from 2017 to 2024, I continued as a senior scientist stationed at Beerse in a collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceutica at the Department of Infectious Diseases & Vaccines and the LUMC. This collaboration, supported by grants from Health Holland, focused on identifying novel host factors involved in RSV attachment, entry, and replication. We developed CRISPRi techniques in human primary cells and high-throughput drug screening assays to advance our findings.
In April 2024, I joined Prof. H. Smits’ research group to further contribute to the development of novel therapies and strategies for respiratory infections and lung diseases.
