Biography

Moniek de Witte is working as an MD-PhD in the department of hematology in the University Medical Center in Utrecht. She obtained her PhD in the lab of Professor Ton Schumacher at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, where she performed pre-clinical studies with engineered T cells. After her medical training to become a hematologist, she started her current position at the UMCU in 2013. In 2016 she did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota in the group of professor Jeff Miller.

 

Both her scientific as well as her clinical work focusses on developing strategies to establish a well-balanced immune reconstitution and improved GVHD-relapse free survival after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. In unique, homogeneous patient cohorts and investigator initiated clinical trials she has been able to improve clinical outcomes for patients with hematological malignancies. In addition she aims to dissect which factors contribute to a favorable donor derived immunorepertoire to develop future clinical interventions.

RESEARCH TOPICS

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Current External Activities

  • Dutch HOVON stem cell transplantation working party        Board member

  • Dutch HOVON MPN working party                                        Member

  • EBMT Registree Committee                                                    Member

  • JACIE                                                                                       Inspector

  • Medical advisory board ‘MPN Stichting’                                Member

Personal Fellowships & Awards

Scientific publications
Top 5:

1.   Weverling FG, Roeven MWH, Nijssen KK, Broers AEC, Dovern E, van Rhenen A, …. De Witte, MA Efficacy and safety of daratumumab in pure red cell aplasia after allogeneic transplantation: Dutch real-world data. Blood Adv. 2024.

2.   de Witte MA, Mooyaart JE, Hoogenboom JD, Chabannon C, Malard F, Ruggeri A, et al. Activity of ex vivo graft and DLI Engineering within the last decade increases, a survey from the EBMT Cellular Therapy & Immunobiology Working Party. Bone marrow transplantation. 2023;58(6):719-22.

3.   de Witte M, Daenen LGM, van der Wagen L, van Rhenen A, Raymakers R, Westinga K, et al. Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Platforms With Ex Vivo and In Vivo Immune Manipulations: Count and Adjust. Hemasphere. 2021;5(6):e580..

4.   de Witte MA, Janssen A, Nijssen K, Karaiskaki F, Swanenberg L, van Rhenen A, et al. alphabeta T-cell graft depletion for allogeneic HSCT in adults with hematological malignancies. Blood Adv. 2021;5(1):240-9.

5.   de Witte MA, Sarhan D, Davis Z, Felices M, Vallera DA, Hinderlie P, et al. Early Reconstitution of NK and gammadelta T Cells and Its Implication for the Design of Post-Transplant Immunotherapy. Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2018;24(6):1152-62.

Projects and grants

2014    Translational Research Training in Hematology (EHA/ASH)

2016    KWF Translational Fellowship (UU 2015-7753; € 290.700; personal fellowship)

2018    Vrienden van UMC Utrecht (€ 50.000,00)

2019    KWF: Continuity of a phase I study to investigate TEG001 cell treatment in patients with r/r AML/high-risk MDS or r/r MM (UU 12586  ; co-PI; €989.033,30)

2021    KWF: Translation of CMV induced innate immunity into anti-cancer immune therapies. (#13493; PI; € 662.568,00).

2022    Leukemiefonds.nl: Addressing the impact of CMV reactivation on innate immune reconstitution (PI; €150.000)

2023    I&I Boost Grant (PI; €28.000)

Clinical trials

Investigator initiated trials:

•           Innate study (Phase 2) (NL48606.000.14), coordinating investigator

•           TEG001 study (Phase 1) (NL6357), principal investigator

•           TARGET study (RCT) (NL64877.041.18), coordinating investigator

 

Associated team members

Anniek Stuut, PhD

Yousra van der Leest, PhD