Professor and head of LUCID Research
prof.dr. Ron Hokke
Research
I am fascinated by the molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction, with a focus on glycobiology. My team and I continue to develop our well-established research line into glycosylation at the host-pathogen interface, with an emphasis on helminth parasites. Recent research projects have focused on development and applications of glycan microarrays, glycobiological approaches to vaccine candidate discovery, structure-function studies of immunomodulatory glycoconjugates and screening of glycan antigens in biomarker discovery.
One the one hand, our studies generate novel fundamental knowledge of host-pathogen glycobiology, such as recent discoveries in glycan-dependent mechanisms of host immune modulation by extracellular vesicles, or research into the contribution of protein glycosylation to the modulation of immunity in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, our collaborative translational research on clinical cohorts of natural and experimental helminth infections leads to the identification and development of targets for vaccines and diagnostics. This includes for instance the rapid diagnostic tests for schistosomiasis that are based on the detection of parasite-derived glycan antigens and host antibodies, and the vaccine development program WORMVACS2.0.
Curriculum Vitae
Originally trained as a chemist I have developed over the last 25 years into a research specialist in human parasite glycobiology and helminthology.
I am head of the subdepartment LUCID-Research and coordinate the Horizon Europe funded WORMVACS2.0 consortium (www.wormvacs.org).
With a focus on training future scientists I am active in Master and Bachelor biomedical sciences. I have set up the Frontiers of Sciences course Glycosciences in Health & Disease and participate in other courses such as FOS Host-Pathogen interactions, Infectious Agents & Immunity.
I have been (co-)promotor of >10 PhD students and currently I am primary supervisor (promotor) of 6 PhD students.
Publications
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Identification of a circulating carbohydrate antigen as a highly specific and sensitive target for schistosomiasis serology.
Kildemoes AO, Veldhuizen T, Hilt ST, van Lieshout L, Supali T, Yazdanbakhsh M, Camprubí-Ferrer D, Muñoz J, Clerinx J, Harvey M, Codée J, Corstjens PLAM, van Dam GJ, Visser LG, Roestenberg M, van Diepen A, Hokke CH.
J Clin Microbiol. 2025; 63(2):e0100824. doi: 10.1128/jcm.01008-24.
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Mass Spectrometric and Glycan Microarray-Based Characterization of the Filarial Nematode Brugia malayi Glycome Reveals Anionic and Zwitterionic Glycan Antigens.
Petralia LMC, van Diepen A, Lokker LA, Nguyen DL, Sartono E, Khatri V, Kalyanasundaram R, Taron CH, Foster JM, Hokke CH.
Mol Cell Proteomics. 2022; 21(5):100201. doi: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100201.
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DC-SIGN mediated internalisation of glycosylated extracellular vesicles from Schistosoma mansoni increases activation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
Kuipers ME, Nolte-'t Hoen ENM, van der Ham AJ, Ozir-Fazalalikhan A, Nguyen DL, de Korne CM, Koning RI, Tomes JJ, Hoffmann KF, Smits HH, Hokke CH.
J Extracell Vesicles. 2020; 9(1):1753420. doi: 10.1080/20013078.2020.1753420.
