Elke De Bruyne

Elke De Bruyne (EDB) studied Biomedical Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and obtained her MSc in 2003. In the same year, she joined the Hematology and Immunology (HEIM) lab at VUB, where she conducted a PhD focusing on the role of endothelial cells in the bone marrow microenvironment-induced modulation of the gene-expression of multiple myeloma cells, under supervision of Prof. Van Camp and Prof. Vanderkerken. After finishing her PhD training, she obtained a prestigious junior and senior Post-doc FWO fellowship position. During her Post-doc training, EDB set-up her own research line in the HEIM lab, focusing on the epigenetic regulation of multiple myeloma cells within the bone marrow niche and evaluating the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of broad-acting epigenetic modulating agents. In addition, she also explored the therapeutic potential of targeting mitotic exit in combination with standard of care agents for the high-grade B cell malignancies multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Since 2018, EDB holds a faculty position (Senior Research Professor) and supervises a growing team of researchers. The current focus of her team is to identify key (epi)genetic defects involved in multiple myeloma progression and relapse and designing new therapeutic modalities to counter myeloma cell drug resistance. For the latter, EDB recently started a joint project with Prof Zimmermann (KUL) to examine if exosomes can be modified and exploited to deliver therapeutics, e.g. siRNAs, proteins and/or drugs, specifically to the MM cells. Since 2015, EDB is a member of the scientific committee ‘KomOpTegenKanker’ (expert panel). In 2020, she also became a member of the scientific committee FWO MED3 (FO).