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prof. dr. E.J.H.J. Wiertz

prof. dr. E.J.H.J. Wiertz

Full Professor
prof. dr. E.J.H.J. Wiertz
  • Department of Medical Microbiology

Research Programs

Infection & Immunity

Biography

Biography

Emmanuel Wiertz  obtained a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Utrecht University in 1986. From 1987-1994, he was investigator and group leader at the Vaccine Development Unit of the National Institute of Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, The Netherlands. In 1993, he obtained a PhD at Utrecht University for his studies on T cell recognition of Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane proteins (awarded cum laude). He received training in immunology, virology and cell biology as an intern at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and as EMBO fellow at the laboratory of Prof. Hidde Ploegh at MIT, Cambrigde MA (1994-1996). After returning from the US, he briefly went back to the RIVM and subsequently was appointed professor of Medical Microbiology, in particular Experimental Virology, at the Leiden University Medical Center. In 2009, his lab moved to the University Medical Center in Utrecht. The Wiertz lab investigates virus-host interactions, with special interest in viral immune evasion mechanisms. This research is at the interface of virology, immunology and cell biology, a combination of disciplines that has facilitated the elucidation of a variety of fascinating immune evasion strategies employed by herpesviruses. More recently, the lab has adopted novel technologies such as genome-wide shRNA libraries and the CRISPR/Cas technology as powerful instruments to explore new avenues in host-pathogen research.

Side Activities

Chairman of the board of the Virology Division of the Royal Dutch Association for Microbiology (KNVM).

Member of the Dutch Society for Immunology (NVVI), the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the International Association for Research on Epstein-Barr virus and Associated Diseases.

Editor/Editorial board member of several scientific journals, and is a regular referee for national and international funding schemes.

Consultant to ORCA Therapeutics BV on the use of viruses (modified adenoviruses) in cancer therapy. Payments to UMC Utrecht. 

Fellowship and Awards

(co-)awarded many fellowships and research grants in the course of his career. Among them are The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF), several funding schemes of the European Commission, The Dr. F.P. Fischer Foundation, Dutch Diabetes Research Foundation (DFN), and Dutch Arthritis Foundation (DAF).

He is part of the European Horizon 2020 Consortium EDGE, a collaboration among academic, clinical and industrial partners addressing virological and immunological unknowns of herpesvirus infections.

 

 

Research Output (74)

Enhanced antigen cross-presentation in human colorectal cancer-associated fibroblasts through upregulation of the lysosomal protease cathepsin S

Harryvan Tom J., Visser Marten, De Bruin Linda, Plug Léonie, Griffioen Lisa, Mulder Arend, Van Veelen Peter A., Van Der Heden Van Noort Gerbrand J., Jongsma Marlieke L.M., Meeuwsen Miranda H., Wiertz Emmanuel J.H.J., Santegoets Saskia J., Hardwick James C.H., Van Hall Thorbald, Neefjes Jacques, Van Der Burg Sjoerd H., Hawinkels Lukas J.A.C., Verdegaal Els M.E. 9 Mar 2022, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 10

A class II MHC-targeted vaccine elicits immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants

Pishesha Novalia, Harmand Thibault J, Rothlauf Paul W, Praest Patrique, Alexander Ryan K, van den Doel Renate, Liebeskind Mariel J, Vakaki Maria A, McCaul Nicholas, Wijne Charlotte, Verhaar Elisha, Pinney William, Heston Hailey, Bloyet Louis-Marie, Pontelli Marjorie Cornejo, Ilagan Ma Xenia G, Jan Lebbink Robert, Buchser William J, Wiertz Emmanuel J H J, Whelan Sean P J, Ploegh Hidde L 2 Nov 2021, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 118 , p. 1-10

The UFM1 Pathway Impacts HCMV US2-Mediated Degradation of HLA Class I

Schuren A B C, Boer I G J, Bouma E M, Van de Weijer M L, Costa A I, Hubel P, Pichlmair A, Lebbink R J, Wiertz E J H J 2 Jan 2021, In: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 26

Splenic Red Pulp Macrophages Cross-Prime Early Effector CTL That Provide Rapid Defense against Viral Infections

Enders Marika, Franken Lars, Philipp Marie-Sophie, Kessler Nina, Baumgart Ann-Kathrin, Eichler Melanie, Wiertz Emmanuel J H, Garbi Natalio, Kurts Christian 1 Jan 2020, In: Journal of Immunology. 204 , p. 87-100 14 p.

Fluorescent TAP as a Platform for Virus-Induced Degradation of the Antigenic Peptide Transporter

Wąchalska Magda, Graul Małgorzata, Praest Patrique, Luteijn Rutger D, Babnis Aleksandra W, Wiertz Emmanuel J H J, Bieńkowska-Szewczyk Krystyna, Lipińska Andrea D 7 Dec 2019, In: Cells. 8

A Genome-Wide Haploid Genetic Screen Identifies Heparan Sulfate-Associated Genes and the Macropinocytosis Modulator TMED10 as Factors Supporting Vaccinia Virus Infection

Luteijn Rutger D, van Diemen Ferdy, Blomen Vincent A, Boer Ingrid G J, Manikam Sadasivam Saravanan, van Kuppevelt Toin H, Drexler Ingo, Brummelkamp Thijn R, Lebbink Robert Jan, Wiertz Emmanuel J 1 Jul 2019, In: Journal of Virology. 93

A flow cytometry-based approach to unravel viral interference with the MHC class I antigen processing and presentation pathway

Praest Patrique, de Buhr Hendrik, Wiertz Emmanuel J.H.J. 31 May 2019, p. 187-198 12 p.

Transmembrane regions of bovine herpesvirus 1-encoded UL49.5 and glycoprotein M regulate complex maturation and ER-Golgi trafficking

Graul Malgorzata, Kisielnicka Edyta, Rychlowski Michal, Verweij Marieke C., Tobler Kurt, Ackermann Mathias, Wiertz Emmanuel J.H.J., Bieńkowska-Szewczyk Krystyna, Lipińska Andrea D. 1 Mar 2019, In: Journal of General Virology. 100 , p. 497-510 14 p.

The influence of TAP1 and TAP2 gene polymorphisms on TAP function and its inhibition by viral immune evasion proteins

Praest P., Luteijn R. D., Brak-Boer I. G.J., Lanfermeijer J., Hoelen H., Ijgosse L., Costa A. I., Gorham R. D., Lebbink R. J., Wiertz E. J.H.J. 4 Jun 2018, In: Molecular Immunology. 101 , p. 55-64 10 p.

Mutagenic repair of double-stranded DNA breaks in vaccinia virus genomes requires cellular DNA ligase IV activity in the cytosol

Luteijn Rutger David, Drexler Ingo, Smith Geoffrey L, Lebbink Robert Jan, Wiertz Emmanuel J H J Jun 2018, In: Journal of General Virology. 99 , p. 790-804 15 p.

All research output

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