The research of the Masereeuw group can be roughly divided into two lines.
1. Disease modeling
Aims are to unravel the interactions between (therapeutic) molecules and biological systems in organ systems. For this, humanized in vitro systems are being applied that functionally mimic (patients) organs, which includes the use of innovative technologies for 3-dimensional organ cultures such as microfluidics (organs-on-chip technology).
These experimental tools should aid in translating molecular interactions into therapeutic effects. Target organs currently involve (but are not restricted to) the kidney and the intestine, individually and combined, allowing studying the interaction between two organs when one of them fails.
2. Regenerative (nephro-)pharmacology
With this research line, Masereeuw hopes to develop novel therapeutic strategies to accelerate organ function recovery during failure. Furthermore, she wants to gain insight into processes that determine the excretion of metabolic wastes and drugs by the kidneys, in order to develop novel interventions for renal disease. The past years, novel renal tubular excretion pathways were identified, as well as regulatory pathways towards the transporters involved that can be pharmacologically triggered to improve function during kidney failure.
The Masereeuw group has developed unique, patented, human renal cell lines with a high predictive value for drug and waste product transport and metabolism. These cell lines are used in the development of a bioartificial kidney, a kidney-on-a-chip device suitable for in vitro toxicity testing of chemical entities and drugs in development, and for studying the renal tubular secretion and reabsorption machinery.
Projects
Project
Drug disposition On-a-Chip: a multi-organ-on-a-chip model tailored to mimic ADME/PK in vitro
Role
Researcher
Funding
Other grant (government funding) Health~Holland
Project members UU
Research projects
A selection of Roos Masereeuw’s ongoing research:
- RenalToolBox: Novel technologies for evaluating the efficacy and safety of cell-based therapies for kidney disease, EU Marie Curie Initial Training Networks (ITN), Call: H2020-2018-ET-813839. Period: 2019-2023
- RESCUE: Local Training Network on Regenerative medicine and Stem Cell technology in UtrEcht; H2020-MSCA-COFUND-2017. Principal Investigator of Regenerative Medicine Utrecht consortium. Period: 2019-2023
- HUB U-AIM: Utrecht Advanced In Vitro Models. Utrecht Life Sciences. Co-chair with Prof. dr. Jos Malda. 2018-2023
- Organ function on-a-chip: development of individual gut and liver function on chip systems, also suitable for studying organ-organ interactions (liver-gut-kidney). Collaborative project with TNO Innovation for Life. Period: 2018-2020
- Regenerative Medicine Crossing Borders (RegMedXB). Principal Investigator of Regenerative Medicine Utrecht consortium. Period: 2017-2022
- Three-dimensional bioprinting of vascularized kidney tubules for uremic toxin removal. Dutch Kidney Foundation PhD Grant (17PHD16). Period: 2017-2021