Peter Vandenabeele

The VIB research unit of Peter Vandenabeele focuses on the molecular mechanisms of different cell death modalities (a.o. apoptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, immunogenic cell death) and cellular stress (ER stress), their regulation, their functional interactions and the role herein of caspases, RIPK and other signalling molecules. The unit is both interested in cell autonomous as well as intercellular aspects of cell death and cellular stress such as communication with the innate immune system. These processes are studied in an integrated way at the level of biochemistry, cell biology, development of conditional transgenic models and their role in various diseases models such as sepsis, skin inflammation and cancer, and intestinal inflammation and cancer. In order to identify novel targets in signalling of cell death modalities we developed a cellular screening platform in which we screen customized functional classes of libraries of sh/siRNAs (kinases, ubiquitylating enzymes, etc.), libraries of known clinical drugs and series of chemical compounds. The hits are then further examined in cellular systems and in experimental disease models for their potential to modulate cell death pathways or to influence disease models.