TEAM
CURRENT MEMBERS
Professors
Senior full professor (100%)
Mathieu Vinken
Assistant professor (10%) / postdoctoral researcher (90%)
Andrés Tabernilla
Assistant professor (10%) / postdoctoral researcher (90%)
Julen Sanz Serrano
Postdoctoral researchers
Establishment of virtual control groups for regulatory testing of pharmaceuticals
To be completed in 2028
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Jiang Jian
Testing of de novo generated nanobodies raised against connexin43 as novel therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory liver disease
To be completed in 2027
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Raf Van Campenhout
Effect of simulated microgravity on hepatic drug transporters
To be completed in 2026
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Sinem Helvacıoğlu Akyüz
Exploring exposure to real-life e-waste chemical mixtures
To be completed in 2026
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Chukwuebuka Eze
Optimization of in vivo and in vitro models for testing liver therapeutics
To be completed in 2027
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Luiza de Paula Dias Moreira
Doctoral researchers
Risk assessment of chemical mixtures: liver toxicity as a case study
To be defended in 2026
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Nynke Kramer, Jochem Louisse
Ellen Callewaert
Development of a mechanism-based and artificial intelligence-fed in vitro test platform to predict chemical-induced cholestatic liver injury
To be defended in 2027
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Julen Sanz Serrano
Annika Drees
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Optimization of Panx1 nanobodies towards clinical treatment of inflammatory liver disease
To be defended in 2027
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Raf Van Campenhout
Daan Peeters
Effects of food supplements on liver in vitro and in vivo
To be defended in 2025
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Lindsey Devisscher
Amy Maerten
Effects of simulated microgravity and radiation on gap junctions and connexin hemichannels in liver: can making liver cells shut up reduce hepatic damage induced by space conditions?
To be defended in 2028
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bjorn Baselet
Phoebe De Meulemeester
In vitro detection of steatotic chemicals
To be defended in 2025
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Tamara Vanhaecke
Co-promotor: Joery De Kock
Anouk Verhoeven
In vitro testing of the hepatotoxic/hepatoprotective potential of herbal medicines and dietary supplements
To be defended in 2026
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Hilmi Orhan
Co-promotors: Kristiaan Demeyer, Andrés Tabernilla
Batuhan Yildiz
Role of cellular communication mediated by pannexin1 channels in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease induced by microgravity and radiation
To be defended in 2027
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Co-promotors: Bjorn Baselet, Kevin Tabury
Ben Cools
Application of a liver-based in vitro test platform for food toxicology purposes
To be defended in 2028
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Julen Sanz Serrano
Costina Avirvarei
In vitro testing of the role of pannexin1 signaling in liver toxicity induced by food additives and contaminants
To be defended in 2028
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Andrés Tabernilla, Julen Sanz Serrano
Kyriaki Xiftou
Establishment of virtual control groups for regulatory testing of pharmaceuticals
To be defended in 2028
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Jian Jiang
Julia Matyjasiak
Omics-based investigation of the effect of simulated space conditions on the liver: focus on biotransformation and drug transportation capacity
To be defended in 2028
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Co-promoters: Virginia Wotring, Willian da Silveira
Jette Ritz
Role of Panx1 channels and Cx43 hemichannels as new therapeutic targets in the paracrine signalling circuit between hepatic stellate cells and hepatocellular carcinoma cells established in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis
To be defended in 2029
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
Co-promoter: Andrés Tabernilla
Gitte Karcher
Establishment of an in vitro system to study the role of gut microbiota in drug-induced liver injury
To be defended in 2029
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Doris Vandeputte
Ynske Janssen
Zebrafish as a model to test human hepatotoxic chemicals identified using artificial intelligence
To be defended in 2029
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Jinhee Choi
Georgia Bompola
Integrative evaluation of liver toxicity testing of consumer products via ToxCast and in vitro assays
To be defended in 2029
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Jinhee Choi
Keon Kang
Mixture toxicity assessment of PFAS in consumer products through liver-specific AOPs
To be defended in 2029
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Jinhee Choi
Hyeonwoo Kim
Technicians
Annelies Jacobs
Project managers
Julia Dominika Zajac
Géraldine Gelders
FORMER TEAM MEMBERS
Dr. Alanah Pieters
Dr. Elif Ince Ergüç
Dr. Vânia Vilas-Boas
Dr. Bruna dos Santos Rodrigues
Dr. Prashant Kadam
M. Sci. Emma Arnesdotter
M. Sci. Sara Crespo-Yanguas
M. Sci. Kaat Leroy
Pharm. Anne Caufriez
Pharm. Axelle Cooreman
Pharm. Eva Gijbels
Pharm. Michaël Maes
Pharm. Joost Willebrords
Miss Ana Rita Coelho Gomes
Miss Dinja De Win
Miss Tâmara Prandini
Miss Tineke Vanhalewyn
Miss Manon Wery
Miss Fien Haenen
Mr. Arne Loosen
FINISHED POSTDOCTORAL PROJECTS
Role of connexin and pannexin (hemi)channels in liver cancer
Tereza Cristina da Silva: completed 31/03/2017
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
Role of connexin and pannexin (hemi)channels in hepatitis
Isabel Veloso Alves Pereira: completed 31/03/2017
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
Development of a primary hepatocyte spheroid culture system for the detection of chemical-induced cholestatic liver injury
Vânia Vilas-Boas: completed 31/12/2020
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Role of connexin and pannexin (hemi)channels in cholestasis
Alanah Pieters: completed 31/01/2022
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Identification of natural inhibitors of pannexin channels
Elif Ince Ergüç: completed 31/01/2023
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
Characterization of new mechanisms of cholestasis as the basis for animal-free prediction of drug-induced liver injury
Bruna dos Santos Rodrigues: completed 30/09/2023
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
In vitro investigation of the hepatotoxic potential of total parenteral nutrition
Milos Mihajlovic: completed 31/12/2024
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
In vivo testing of new inhibitors of connexin and pannexin (hemi)channels
Prashant Kadam: completed 15/06/2025
Promoter: Mathieu Vinken
FINISHED DOCTORAL PROJECTS
Evaluation of carcinogen-modified global gene expression profiles in liver-based in vitro models with focus on primary hepatocyte cultures
Tatyana Doktorova: defended 16/03/2012
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Tamara Vanhaecke, Vera Rogiers
Development of a differentiated hepatic in vitro system for long-term pharmaco-toxicological studies based on (epi)genetic modification of primary hepatocytes
Eva Ramboer: defended 15/10/2015
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Tamara Vanhaecke, Vera Rogiers
The role of connexins, pannexins and their channels in acute liver failure
Michaël Maes: defended 17/10/2017
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
The role of connexins, pannexins and their channels in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
Joost Willebrords: defended 29/01/2018
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
The role of connexins, pannexins and their channels in liver fibrosis
Sara Crespo Yanguas: defended 25/10/2018
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
Connexin43 hemichannels as druggable targets for future anti-seizure medication
Laura Walrave: defended 24/01/2019
Promoter: Ilse Smolders
Co-promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Luc Leybaert
Modelling and prediction of chemical-induced human cholestatic liver injury: a mechanistic approach
Eva Gijbels: defended 01/12/2021
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Lindsey Devisscher
Co-promoter: Tamara Vanhaecke
Towards next generation risk assessment of chemicals: liver toxicity as a case study
Emma Arnesdotter: defended 19/05/2022
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Tamara Vanhaecke
Role of connexins, pannexins and their channels in liver cancer
Kaat Leroy: defended 31/01/2023
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Bruno Cogliati
Identification, development and in vitro testing of pannexin1 channel inhibitors
Anne Caufriez: defended 03/10/2023
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Steven Ballet
Role of connexins and their channels in cholestasis
Axelle Cooreman: defended 11/10/2023
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Pieter Annaert
Liver cell contacts as sensors of disease and targets for drug development
Raf Van Campenhout: defended 04/09/2024
Promoters: Mathieu Vinken, Nick Devoogdt
Co-promoter: Timo De Groof
Prof. Mathieu Vinken
