Deputy head, Clinical Hematologist, Head of research lab
Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Lymphoma and Myeloma Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
Arnon Kater, Prof. MD PhD, Dept of Hematology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Univesity Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Focus of research
After my PhD I set up a research group that performs both pre-clinical and translational studies with focus on (immune)biology and treatment of B-cell malignancies with CLL as main disease serving as a B-cell malignancy model. These studies were combined with both phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials for which he started an international network. These efforts have positioned the research group as the foremost clinical and translational CLL Center in the Netherlands and enabled me to build a large countrywide CLL biobank.
Basic/translational research:
Tumor microenvironment (TME): In vitro models simulating the tumor microenvironment of lymphnodes have been created within my group. This enabled pivotal studies which uncovered the important role of the TME in this disease which contributed to the development of novel targeted inhibitors. In vivo confirmation of this findings were established in an adapted CLL mouse model.
Adaptive immune responses: I have developed a track record of studies on the adaptive immune system in CLL. As T cells are a very small minority of total leukocytes in CLL (<5 to 1%), sophisticated methods have been set-up to facilitate such studies. These efforts made our group one of the main contributors to current knowledge on T cell dysfunction in CLL.
Clinical research: Within the platform of the Dutch/Belgian HOVON CLL working group, we established an alliance with the Nordic CLL study group and (re)strengthened ties with other European study groups (especially the German CLL study group) and with pharma-industry. This has resulted in multiple international multicenter trials with novel agents in which my institute serves as central diagnostic and research laboratory for Netherlands and Belgium.
