Damya LAOUI

Damya LAOUI is a Research Professor and VIB-groupleader at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where she leads the Lab of Dendritic Cell Biology and Cancer Immunotherapy associated with the Inflammation Research Center. She has held significant academic positions including Research Professor (10% BOF-ZAP) since 2018 and began her tenure track as a BOF-ZAP & Collen Francqui Professor in 2020.

Her research focuses on understanding the immune compartment in tumors with particular emphasis on dendritic cells and their potential as therapeutic targets against tumor progression, relapse, and metastasis. She investigates the heterogeneity of tumor-derived conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) and their roles in mounting T-cell responses. Her pioneering work published in Nature Communications (2016) identified and characterized different cDC subpopulations in tumors, demonstrating their utility as novel cell-based cancer therapies. Subsequent research revealed differential roles of cDC1 and cDC2 in CD8+ T-cell responses upon αCD40 therapy and identified new Treg-stimulating DC phenotypes.

Analysis of her recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on tumor microenvironment complexity, dendritic cell heterogeneity across cancer types, and novel immunotherapeutic approaches. Her work spans multiple cancer models including lung, ovarian, and colorectal cancers, with emphasis on myeloid cell biology, immune cell interactions, and translational applications of basic immunological findings.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• BOF-ZAP Professorship
• Collen Francqui Professorship
• VIB-groupleader position

Her laboratory utilizes advanced techniques including scRNA-seq, CITE-seq, spatial transcriptomics, and functional assays in orthotopic cancer models for breast, lung, and ovarian cancers. She has established expertise in both fundamental understanding of dendritic cell activity and their relation to other cell types within the tumor microenvironment, with ongoing projects focused on improving cDC therapy and bringing it to clinical application.