Our research is focused on immunology of chronic viral infections, and the long-term consequences of these infections, such as fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). We study infections with the hepatitis B, C or E virus (HBV, HCV or HEV), as well as infections with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Our interest is in unravelling 1) why immune responses are insufficient to clear the viruses in chronic patients; 2) the parameters that determine disease progression (e.g. fibrosis or liver cancer) in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, and 3) the mechanisms underlying the differences in efficacy of antiviral therapy

To achieve this, we use immuno-monitoring of patients with HBV, HCV, HEV or HIV patients at various disease stages, during standard-of-care and during novel experimental antiviral therapy (in phase I/II clinical trials). Since hepatitis viruses replicate exclusively in the liver, we use the technique of fine-needle aspiration to sample the liver, a technique that we used in numerous research projects over the last decade.

Recent publications

  • Montanari NR, et al. Multi-parametric analysis of human livers reveals intrahepatic inflammation variation across chronic hepatitis B infection phase. J Hep. 2022. 77(2): 332-343.
  • Hoogeveen RC, et al.  Hepatitis B virus-specific CD4 T cell responses differentiate functional cure from chronic surface antigen+ infection. J Hep. 2022. 77(5): 1276-1286.
  • Gehring A, et al. Immunological Biomarker Discovery in Cure Regimens for Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection. J Hep. 2022. 77(2): 525-538.
  • Montanari NR, et al. Transcriptomic analysis of livers of inactive carriers of hepatitis B virus with distinct expression of hepatitis B surface antigen. J Inf Dis. 2022. 225 (6): 1081-1090.
  • Sonneveld MJ, et al. Hepatitis B Virus DNA and Hepatitis B e Antigen Levels at 24 Weeks Off-Treatment Predict Clinical Relapse and Hepatitis B Antigen Loss in Hepatitis B e Antigen-Negative Patients Who Discontinued Antiviral Therapy 2023. Gastroenterol. Sep 26:S0016-5085(23)05068-0.