Janine van der Giessen

Janine van der Giessen is a Researcher at Erasmus MC, part of Erasmus University Rotterdam, specializing in Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Her work focuses on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly its interaction with pregnancy, cytokine modulation, and microbiome dynamics. She investigates how sex hormones influence epithelial barrier function in IBD models and evaluates the effects of biologic therapies like infliximab and adalimumab during pregnancy.

Education:

• Doctoral Thesis: "Pregnancy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: perspectives from bench and bedside" (2021)

Research Interests:

Dr. van der Giessen's research explores pregnancy's impact on IBD progression, vaccine efficacy in infants exposed to biologics, and hormonal mechanisms underlying epithelial integrity. She employs prospective cohort studies to analyze cytokine patterns and microbiome changes during gestation, linking bench science with clinical outcomes. Her work bridges immunology, reproductive health, and microbiome studies to improve therapeutic strategies for IBD patients.

Key Research Trends:

Her articles emphasize translational research, combining clinical cohort data with mechanistic insights into IBD pathogenesis. Themes include pregnancy's protective effects on disease activity, biologic drug safety in utero, and the role of sex hormones in epithelial barrier function.

Advising & Grants:

While no explicit student advisees are listed, her collaborative projects (e.g., CARINA Study Group) suggest involvement in team-based research. Grant details are not disclosed in the provided text.

Labs & Teams:

She is part of the Gastroenterology & Hepatology department at Erasmus MC, collaborating with international teams on IBD and pregnancy-related studies.