Unlocking Cellular Secrets - Innovations driving research in liver disease and cancer
Richell Booijink is a PhD student in the Department of Medical Cell Biophysics. Promotors are prof.dr. R. Bansal and prof.dr. L.W.M.M. Terstappen from the Faculty of Science & Technology.
Liver diseases, particularly chronic liver conditions such as metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), as well as liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis present serious global health challenges, causing millions of deaths. These diseases often progress silently, making early detection difficult and limiting treatment options. Additionally, liver cancer and prostate cancer are among the most common and deadly cancers in men due to late diagnosis and cancer metastasis. With the rising incidence of chronic liver diseases, lack of treatment options, and high mortality rates, there is an urgent need for:
i. Improved understanding of disease mechanisms to identify novel therapeutic targets.
ii. Discovery of biomarkers for early disease detection and identifying at-risk patients.
iii. The development of safe and effective treatment strategies.
This thesis addresses these critical areas through uncovering cellular mechanisms on a single-cell level, identifying novel diagnostic tools, and evaluating novel therapeutic treatment strategies.
