Koen Debackere

Koen Debackere is an Assistant Professor at KU Leuven, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Oncology. He conducts research in the Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, focusing on hematological malignancies and immunotherapy. His work bridges basic science and clinical applications, with emphasis on T-cell lymphomas and acute myeloid leukemia.

His research interests encompass the genetic drivers of peripheral T-cell lymphomagenesis, the development of immunotherapies for hematological cancers, and the characterization of the tumor microenvironment. He is particularly interested in targeting mutant NPM1 in acute myeloid leukemia with T-cell receptor-like chimeric antigen receptors and understanding the dual role of T cells in hematology as both therapeutic targets and allies. His research often involves molecular characterization and the identification of druggable targets through projects spanning CAR-T cell therapy, ATMP regulatory frameworks, and lymphoma pathogenesis.

Recent publications reveal a strong translational focus on hematological malignancies, particularly T-cell lymphomas and acute myeloid leukemia, with emerging work in technology transfer and innovation management. This dual expertise bridges laboratory discoveries in genetic drivers and signaling pathways to therapeutic applications and research commercialization.

Debackere serves as a doctoral supervisor, evidenced by his 2022 thesis supervision on peripheral T-cell lymphomagenesis. He leads significant research funding initiatives including:

• Promotor of "Improving patient care through reliable clinical immune biomarkers across the CAR-T cell trajectory" (2025-2029)
• Promotor of "Opening the door for immunotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia: targeting mutant NPM1" (2025-2026)
• Promotor of "The Dual Nature of T Cells in Hematology" (2024-2026)
• Co-promotor of "Increasing ATMP regulatory awareness" (2024-2028)
• Co-promotor of "Molecular characterization of hyperactive T cell receptor signaling" (2023-2027)

He is an integral member of the Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, which operates within KU Leuven's Department of Oncology. The lab employs multidisciplinary approaches combining genomic analysis, molecular biology, and clinical hematology to investigate lymphoma pathogenesis and develop novel immunotherapies.