Nico Callewaert lab

Prof. Dr. Nico Callewaert

Email: nico.callewaert@vib-ugent.be

Research topic

The oral biologics research line of our lab focuses on developing innovative biotechnology that modulates GI-related disease by tackling local targets. Our group is evaluating the use of biopharmaceuticals for human GI indications of pressing unmet clinical need in running academic research programs. By means of yeast/plant seed-based production process that offers high scalability and a food-grade final product, we aim to overcome current-day limitations associated with oral administration of biologics. We also have a longstanding research line on the use of plasma protein glycome and plasma DNA epigenome alterations as an information source for new diagnostics

Areas of expertise

  • Molecular biology
  • Recombinant protein production in bacterial, yeast and mammalian expression hosts
  • Biopharmaceuticals
  • Passive immunization strategies using novel antibody-formats
  • Glycobiology
  • Bio-analytics

Selected publications

  1. Virdi V, Palaci J, Laukens B, Ryckaert S, Cox E, Vanderbeke E, Depicker A, Callewaert N. Yeast-secreted, dried and food-admixed monomeric IgA prevents gastrointestinal infection in a piglet model.
    Nat Biotechnol. 2019 May;37(5):527-530. doi: 10.1038/s41587-019-0070-x. PMID: 30936561.
  2. Verhelst X, Dias AM, Colombel JF, Vermeire S, Van Vlierberghe H, Callewaert N, Pinho SS. Protein Glycosylation as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker of Chronic Inflammatory Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases.
    Gastroenterology. 2020 Jan;158(1):95-110. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.08.060. PMID: 31626754.
  3. Verhelst, Xavier, Anja Geerts, Dieter Vanderschaeghe, Xavier Rogiers, Aude Vanlander, Frederik Berrevoet, Nico Callewaert, Roberto Troisi, and Hans Van Vlierberghe. 2017. “Pretransplant Glycomic Analysis of Perfusate Is Predictive of Primary Non Function After Liver Transplantation.”.
    In Journal of Hepatology, 66:S201–S201.
  4. Jacobs PP, Geysens S, Vervecken W, Contreras R, Callewaert N. Engineering complex-type N-glycosylation in Pichia pastoris using GlycoSwitch technology.
    Nat Protoc. 2009;4(1):58-70. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2008.213. PMID: 19131957.

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