André Boonstra studied Biology at the University of Groningen, and did his PhD studies at the department of Immunology of the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam until. He worked the DNAX Research Institute (Palo Alto, USA) as a post-doctoral fellow to study the function of myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells and their effect on Th cell development. He continued his post-doctoral studies at the National Institute for Medical Research Mill Hill (London, UK) on a project focused on immunology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. Since September 2006 he is group leader and staff member at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the Erasmus MC (Rotterdam, The Netherlands), and was appointed associate professor in 2012.

As an immunologist on infectious diseases his research is focused on 1) identification of the host factors that determine viral persistence and disease progression, and 2) identification of the factors that determine the outcome of current and novel antiviral treatment strategies. His group currently consists of 3 technicians, 2 post-docs, 3 PhD students and several visiting scientists and undergraduates. The work his research group has extensive expertise on small-animal models, genomics/bio-informatics, and immunology of infectious diseases that are complimentary for the translational studies to understand and predict disease progression and efficacy of antiviral therapy in patients with HBV, HCV and HEV infections.
He contributed to the scientific community by publishing many research papers and several book chapters, and has been member of advisory boards and NIH committees. He received research grants from various pharmaceutical companies, the Dutch government, and from NWO-ZonMW. The research is performed in close collaboration with clinics of the hepatology, infectious diseases and virology units of the Erasmus MC.

Awards

2020-Distinguished Hepatology Award of the Dutch Organization for Hepatology (NVH)

This prize is awarded once every 3 years to a senior Dutch scientist on the basis of track record and future perspective.

Recent publications

  • Fu S, Karim D, Prieto J, Balderramo D, Ferrer JD, Mattos AZ, Arrese M, Carrera E, Oliveira J, Debes JD, Boonstra A. Assessment of TLL1 variant and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Latin Americans and Europeans. Ann Hepatol. 2023 Nov 17:101181. doi: 10.1016/j.aohep.2023.101181. PMID: 37981236.
  • Fu S, Deger T, Boers RG, Boers JB, Doukas M, Gribnau J, Wilting SM, Debes JD, Boonstra A. Hypermethylation of DNA methylation markers in non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancers 2023. Sep 28;15(19):4784. doi: 10.3390/cancers15194784
  • Sonneveld MJ, Chiu SM, Park JY, Brakenhoff SM, Kaewdech A, Seto WK, Tanaka Y, Carey I, Papatheodoridi M, Colombatto P, van Bömmel F, Janssen HL, Berg T, Zoulim F, Ahn SH, Dalekos GN, Erler NS, Brunetto M, Wedemeyer H, Cornberg M, Yuen MF, Agarwal K, Boonstra A, Buti M, Piratvisuth T, Papatheodoridis G, Chen CH, Maasoumy B. CREATE Study Group. Hepatitis B Virus DNA and Hepatitis B e Antigen Levels at 24 Weeks Off-Treatment Predict Clinical Relapse and Hepatitis B Antigen Loss in Hepatitis B e Antigen-Negative Patients Who Discontinued Antiviral Therapy. Gastroenterol. 2023, Sep 26:S0016-5085(23)05068-0. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.09.033.
  • Ayoub A, Anugwom CM, Prieto J, Balderramo D, Diaz Ferrer J, Mattos AZ, Arrese M, Carrera E, Groothuismink ZMA, Oliveira J, Boonstra A, Debes JD. Assessment of STAT4 variant and risk of Hepatocellular carcinoma in Latin Americans and Europeans. Cancers 2023. Sep 12;15(18):4530. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15184530
  • Goble S, Akambase J, Prieto J, Balderramo D, Ferrer JD, Mattos AZ, Arrese M, Carrera E, Groothuismink ZMA, Oliveira J, Boonstra A, Debes JD. MBOAT7 rs641738 variant is not associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in a Latin American cohort. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 2023. Nov;68(11):4212-4220. doi: 10.1007/s10620-023-08104-y
  • Beudeker BJB, Fu S, BalderramoD, Angelo Z. Mattos AZ, Carrera E, DiazJ, PrietoJ, Banales J, VogelA, ArreseM, Oliveira J, Groothuismink ZMA, van OordG, Hansen BE, de Man RA, DebesJD, Boonstra A. Validation and optimization of AFP-based biomarker panels for early HCC detection in Latin America and Europe. Hepatol Comm. 2023 Sep 15;7(10):e0264. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000264
  • Osmani Z, Boonstra A. Recent insights into the role of B cells in chronic viral hepatitis infections. Pathogens 2023, 12(6): 815.https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12060815
  • Fu S, Debes JD, Boonstra A. DNA methylation Markers in the Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Eur J Cancer 2023, Sep;191:112960. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.112960
  • Sonneveld MJ, Chiu SM, Park JY, Brakenhoff SM, Kaewdech A, Seto WK, Tanaka Y, Carey I, Papatheodoridi M, Colombatto P, van Bömmel F, Berg T, Zoulim F, Ahn SH, Dalekos GN, Erler NS, Brunetto M, Wedemeyer H, Cornberg M, Yuen MF, Agarwal K, Boonstra A, Buti M, Piratvisuth T, Papatheodoridis G, Chen CH, Maasoumy B. CREATE study group. Lower pre-treatment HBV DNA levels are associated with better off-treatment outcomes after nucleo(s)tide analogue withdrawal in patients with HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B patients: a multicenter cohort study. J Hep Rep. 2023, May 12;5(8):100790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100790
  • Genshaft AS, Subudhi S, Keo A, Sanchez Vasquez JD, Conceição-Neto N, Mahamed D, Boeijen LL, Alatrakchi N, Oetheimer C, Vilme M, Drake R, Fleming I, Tran N, Tzouanas C, Joseph-Chazan J, Arreola Villanueva M, van de Werken HJG, van Oord GW, Groothuismink ZMA, Beudeker BJ, Osmani Z, Nkongolo S, Mehrotra A, Feld J, Chung RT, de Knegt RJ, Janssen HLA, Aerssens J, Bollekens J, Hacohen N, Lauer GM, Boonstra A, Shalek AK, Gehring A. Clinical implementation of single-cell RNA sequencing using liver fine needle aspirate tissue sampling and centralized processing captures compartment specific immuno-diversity. Hepatology 2023, Nov 1;78(5):1525-1541. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.30.470634
  • LuciforaJ, Alfaiate D, Pons C, Michelet M, Ramirez R, Fusil F, AmiracheF, Rossi A, LegrandA, Charles E, VegnaS, FahratR, Rivoire M, Passot G, Godat N, Testoni B, Bach C, Baumert TF, Hyrina A, BeranRK, Zoulim F, Boonstra A, BüningH, Verrier ER, Cosset F, Fletcher SP, SalvettiA, Durantel D.  Hepatitis D virus interferes with hepatitis B virus RNA production via interferon-dependent and -independent mechanisms. J Hep. 2023, 78(5): 958-970. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i40.14589
  • BeudekerBJB, GroothuisminkZMA, van der Eijk AA, Debes JD, Boonstra A. Circulating cytokines reflect the etiology-specific immune environment in cirrhosis and HCC. Cancers 2022,14(19): 4900. doi: 10.3390/cancers14194900