Lars Vereecke lab

Prof. dr. Lars Vereecke

Email: lars.vereecke@vib-ugent.be

Research topic

The ‘Host-Microbiota Interaction’ lab (HMI) studies the complex interplay between the intestinal microbiota and the host immune system and investigates the fundamental mechanisms underlying immune pathologies including spondyloarthritis (SpA), IBD and colorectal cancer, using transgenic mouse models. We have a strong interest in immune-modulating functions of the intestinal microbiota and our team established first Belgian Germfree and Gnotobiotic mouse facility. In this facility, we can rederive transgenic mouse models of human disease in germ-free or gnotobiotic conditions, for functional microbiota-research

Areas of expertise

• Inflammation & Immunology
• Gut-joint pathology
• Colorectal cancer
• Germfree and gnotobiotic mouse technology
• Helminth infection model (Trichuris muris)
• Intestinal organoid technology
• Transgenic mouse models of human disease

Selected publications

1. K. Slowicka & I. Petta, G. Blancke, E. Hoste, E. Dumas, M. Sze, H. Vikkula, E. Radaelli, J. J. Haigh, S. Jonckheere, J. Taminau, N. Vandamme, A. Wullaert, E. Tulchinsky, D. Nittner, P. Van Vlierberghe, G. De Hertogh, P. Baldin, E. Etlioglu, P. Wirapati, L. Boon, B. N. Lambrecht, C. Callewaert, S. Tejpar, S. Goossens, G. Berx*, L. Vereecke* and G. van Loo* Zeb2 drives invasive and microbiota-dependent colon carcinoma Nature Cancer June, 2020
   
2. E. Gracey, L Vereecke, D McGovern, M Fröhling, G Schett, S Danese, M De Vos, F Van den Bosch, D Elewaut. Revisiting the gut-joint axis: links between gut inflammation and spondyloarthritis
   Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2020
3. K. Slowicka, I. Serramito-Gómez, E. Boada-Romero, A. Martens, M. Sze, I. Petta, H.K. Vikkula, R. De Rycke, E. Parthoens, S. Lippens, S.N. Savvides, A. Wullaert, L. Vereecke*, F.X. Pimentel-Muiños *, and G. van Loo* 2019. Physical and functional interaction between A20 and ATG16L1-WD40 domain in the control of intestinal homeostasis
   Nat Commun 23;10(1):1834
4. L. Vereecke, S. Vieira-Silva, T. Billiet, J.H. van Es, C. Mc Guire, K. Slowicka, M. Sze, M. van den Born, G. De Hertogh, H. Clevers, J. Raes, P. Rutgeerts, S. Vermeire, R. Beyaert, and G. van Loo. 2014. A20 controls intestinal homeostasis through cell specific activities
   Nat Commun., 5(2014):5103
5. N. Takahashi, L. Vereecke, M.J. Betrand, L. Duprez, S.B. Berger, T. Divert, A. Goncalves, M. Sze, B. Gilbert, V. Kourula Goossens, S. Lefebre, C. Günther, C. Becker, J. Bertin, P.J. Gough, W. Declercq, G. van Loo, and P. Vandenabeele.2014. RIPK1 ensures intestinal homeostasis by protecting the epithelium against apoptosis
   Nature 513(7516):95-9
6. L. Vereecke, M. Sze, C. Mc Guire, B. Rogiers, Y. Chu, M. Schmidt-Supprian, M. Pasparakis, R. Beyaert, and G. van Loo. 2010. Enterocyte-specific A20 deficiency sensitizes to tumor necrosis factor-induced toxicity and experimental colitis
   J Exp Med 207: 1513-1523.

(* Shared senior authorship)