Babette Hoen graduated from Ghent University (Belgium) with a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, majored in oncology. Following this, she started her PhD project at the Princess Máxima Center in August 2021.
B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia resides in the bone marrow, where the bone marrow microenvironment can protect leukemic cells, increasing leukemic cell survival and decreasing treatment response. Babette's research focuses on investigating the protective role of the bone marrow microenvironment on the response to T-cell engaging antibodies (BiTEs like blinatumomab), and investigates ways to modify this protective effect. This is studied through manipulation of ex vivo co-cultures of leukemic cells, immune cells and bone marrow cells.