About
During her cum laude PhD and postdoctoral years Sandra J. van Vliet studied the impact of glycosylation and glycan-binding receptors on dendritic cell biology and specialized in the field of glyco-immunology. She obtained a prestigious NWO-VENI grant in 2010 that allowed her to dissect the signaling properties of glycan-binding receptors. With grants from the Dutch Cancer Society, Cancer Center Amsterdam and European Marie Curie ITN network she has established her own independent research group that aims to unravel how tumor glycans affect tumor progression, metastasis and anti-tumor immunity. In 2017, Sandra van Vliet was awarded the female career award ASPASIA from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). With the ASPASIA she established the Amsterdam UMC Women in Science Fund, which aims to accelerate the careers of young female scientists by providing grants for international work visits and networking.
Research Lines
- Impact of tumor cell glycosylation on on anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy resistance
Cellular glycosylation is a dynamic process that changes in response to activation, inflammation, and oncogenic transformation. While it has long been recognized that cell surface glycans are highly diverse, it is still incompletely understood how aberrant cancer cell glycosylation impacts immune responses towards the tumor. We focus our research mainly on colorectal cancer and clear cell renal carcinoma. Our primary objective is to unravel how the tumor glyco-code shapes anti-tumor immunity, both in primary tumors and at metastatic sites, as well as the efficacy and resistance to immune checkpoint therapy. - Molecular recognition and signaling of lectin receptors within the immune system
Within the immune system, glycan blue prints are decoded by specific glycan-receptors, such as the C-type lectin (CLRs) or the Siglec receptors. These glycan-binding receptors are crucial in regulating the balance between immunity and tolerance and several CLRs and Siglecs seem to endow a tolerogenic phenotype on antigen presenting cells (APCs) to dampen potential immune responses directed against the tumor. We study on a molecular level how different glycan ligands affect lectin signaling and subsequent reprogramming of the APCs. In addition, we design targeting moieties to harness lectin function for vaccine purposes or to fine-tune immune responses.
Key publications
- van der Meijs NL, Hatinguais R, de Kok M, Li RJE, Godefa TM, Thijssen VLJL, van Kooyk Y, van Vliet SJ. Ligand-specific tuning of CLEC10A signalling strength and dendritic cell responses through engagement of different GalNAc-containing glycan structures. FEBS J. 2025 Nov 16. doi: 10.1111/febs.70317.
- van Vliet SJ, van Kooyk Y. Sialic acids in cancer biology and immunity-recent advancements. J Biol Chem. 2025 Oct;301(10):110641. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110641.
- van der Haar Àvila I, Zhang T, Lorrain V, Keuning E, Ali LA, Chadick C, García-García S, Boon L, de Haan N, García-Vallejo JJ, van Kooyk Y, van Vliet SJ. Tumor desialylation surpasses anti-PD-L1 checkpoint therapy in restoring anti-tumor immunity in a murine model for colorectal cancer. Int J Cancer. 2025 Nov 1;157(9):1948-1962. doi: 10.1002/ijc.70031.
- van der Meijs NL, Travecedo MA, Marcelo F, van Vliet SJ. The pleiotropic CLEC10A: implications for harnessing this receptor in the tumor microenvironment. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2024 Jul 3:1-12. doi: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2374743.
- van der Haar Àvila I, Zhang T, Lorrain V, de Bruin F, Spreij T, Nakayama H, Iwabuchi K, García-Vallejo JJ, Wuhrer M, van Kooyk Y, van Vliet SJ. Limited impact of cancer-derived gangliosides on anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer. Glycobiology. 2024 May 26;34(7):cwae036. doi: 10.1093/glycob/cwae036.
- Gabba A, Attariya R, Behren S, Pett C, van der Horst JC, Yurugi H, Yu J, Urschbach M, Sabin J, Birrane G, Schmitt E, van Vliet SJ*, Besenius P*, Westerlind U*, Murphy PV*. MUC1 Glycopeptide Vaccine Modified with a GalNAc Glycocluster Targets the Macrophage Galactose C-type Lectin on Dendritic Cells to Elicit an Improved Humoral Response. J Am Chem Soc. 2023 Jun 21;145(24):13027-13037. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c12843. *shared last author
Group members
Remi Hatinguais, MSc
Postdoctoral researcher
Stan Verjans, MSc
PhD student
Lisi Wagener, MSc
PhD student
Alba Gabarroca, MSc
Research technician
Other PI's
Sue Gibbs
About Sue Gibbs is professor in Skin and Mucosa Regenerative Medicine. She is PI at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology and also in the Department of Oral
Febe van Maldegem
About Febe van Maldegem is associate professor and group leader in the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology. Her work focusses on the complex role of the tumour microenvironment
Gijs Kooij
About Gijs Kooij is a PI (associate professor) at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology as well as the MS center Amsterdam. His main research focus is to
Elga de Vries
Research Line Neuro-immunology: The neurovascular unit in health and disease Altered activation of the immune system, neuroinflammation (marked by activated astrocytes and microglia), and dysfunction of
Reina Mebius
About Reina Mebius is professor in Molecular Cell Biology at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology. She has contributed to the field of lymphoid organ development showing that
Yvette van Kooyk
About Yvette van Kooyk is professor in Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, head of the department Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology and PI of the Dendritic Cell Immunobiology group. Van Kooyk’s research
Jack van Horssen
About Jack van Horssen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology. Driven by a passion for unraveling the causes of neurodegenerative diseases, his research
Joke den Haan
About Joke den Haan is professor in cellular immunology with a specific interest in the role of myeloid cells in adaptive immunity. She obtained her PhD from the University of
Juan J. Garcia Vallejo
About Juan J. Garcia Vallejo is Associate Professor and Principal Investigator at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology. Juan has always been interested in combining his medical background
Marjolein van Egmond
About Marjolein van Egmond is professor in Oncology and Inflammation. She is PI at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology and staff member at the Department of Surgery.