A.B. (Bas) Vaandrager

Dr. A.B. (Bas) Vaandrager is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses on Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer with particular expertise in lipid biochemistry, hepatic stellate cell biology, and lipid droplet dynamics. Working from his laboratory in the Nieuw Gildestein building at Yalelaan 2 in Utrecht, he maintains an active research program investigating the molecular mechanisms of lipid storage and metabolism.

Dr. Vaandrager's research interests center on lipid metabolism, particularly the biochemistry of lipid droplets, retinoid metabolism in hepatic stellate cells, and the role of lipids in liver disease. His work bridges basic cell biology with veterinary clinical applications, with significant contributions to understanding hepatic lipidosis in cats and the molecular mechanisms of lipid storage in hepatic stellate cells during liver fibrosis. His research employs advanced techniques including lipidomics, cell culture models, and molecular biology approaches to investigate how cells regulate lipid storage and metabolism.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on hepatic lipid metabolism, with particular emphasis on retinyl ester storage, lipid droplet heterogeneity, and the metabolic reprogramming that occurs during hepatic stellate cell activation. His work demonstrates how different lipid species are stored and metabolized in specialized cellular compartments, with implications for understanding liver fibrosis and metabolic disorders.

Dr. Vaandrager has mentored numerous students throughout his career, with evidence of 9 supervised research projects documented in his profile. His collaborative approach is evident through extensive co-authorship with researchers at Utrecht University including J.B. Helms, M. Houweling, and B. Spee.

His laboratory investigates hepatic stellate cell biology, with particular focus on how these cells store and metabolize lipids, especially vitamin A in the form of retinyl esters. This research has important implications for understanding liver fibrosis, metabolic liver diseases, and species-specific differences in lipid metabolism, particularly in feline medicine.