Vincent van Unen Research Group

We’re thrilled that Jefferson Caesario has joined our team as a new PhD candidate!

Jefferson Caesario will integrate multi-omics, single-cell landscapes, and organoid Modeling to reveal the pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

"Driven by my passion for immunology, I studied at the Medical School of Airlangga University in Surabaya, Indonesia. After completing my Medical Doctor program, I obtained my Master's degree in Immunology at the same university's postgraduate school, where I specialized in immunology and cancer biology. Since September 2025, I have been working as a PhD candidate in the Mucosal Immunology group, led by Dr. Vincent van Unen. I am fascinated by the hidden mechanisms of immune cell communication with other cells. I am eager to decipher the forms of communication and identify hallmarks of immune cells in IBD pathogenesis. For my PhD project, I will dissect the roles of immune cells in disease progression by combining computational data from genomics, transcriptomics, metagenomics, and proteomics. To validate these findings, I will establish and utilize human intestinal organoid cultures as physiologically relevant disease models. These organoids-containing immune cells will enable me to recapitulate IBD pathophysiology in vitro, test mechanistic hypotheses derived from multi-omics data, and evaluate potential therapeutic interventions in a controlled environment. This integrated approach aims to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular changes contributing to disease development."

We’re excited to share that Jia Li successfully defended her PhD thesis on January 8, 2025! Her research, titled "Decoding the Immune and Structural Landscapes of the Prenatal and Emphysematous Lung at the Single-Cell Level," explored lung health at a great level of detail.

Jia Li impressed everyone during her defense by answering a wide range of questions — scientific, clinical, and even societal — with clarity and confidence.

A highlight was when she shared some advice with statement #10 she had embraced during her PhD:

"Maintain enthusiasm and keep moving forward, without wasting energy on worries about things that have not happened yet."

Her favorite line, "Life begins with a breath," perfectly reflects her dedication to understanding the lungs.

We are incredibly proud of Jia Li and wish her all the best in her next scientific chapter, whether that’s back in China or somewhere in Europe.

Congratulations, Dr. Jia Li!

We are excited to share highlights from our recent Annual Science Retreat, hosted in the inspiring setting of the Naturalis Museum in Leiden.

Surrounded by magnificent dinosaur skeletons and the wonders of natural history, our team engaged in great discussions on the latest discoveries and breakthroughs in immunology.

The unique atmosphere of Naturalis sparked fresh ideas and exciting conversations about the future of our field.

Together, we explored new opportunities to advance research, inspired by the incredible blend of science and history all around us, setting the stage for another year of groundbreaking work!

We are pleased to share our latest research, just published in Nature

Our team at Stanford Medicine has developed a novel human autoimmune organoid capable of replicating celiac disease in vitro.

This ALI organoid system preserves the epithelium, native mesenchyme, and tissue-resident immune cells as a cohesive unit.

Through this model, we discovered an unexpected role for the cytokine interleukin-7 in driving pathology within the intestine.

This human celiac model successfully recapitulates gluten-dependent pathology and offers a new platform for investigating the mechanisms of autoimmune diseases.

This work also establishes a proof of principle for using organoid systems to model autoimmunity.

Big Kudos to the team, especially Antonio Santos and Calvin kuo!

Exciting news from the lab! Today, we received a shipment of brand new equipment that will facilitate our research capabilities.

Among the new arrivals are high-precision pipettes, designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of our experiments. Our team is eager to start using these tools to push the boundaries of scientific discovery.

Stay tuned for updates on our research made possible by our latest technological advancements!