Professor in neurology, neuroimmunology of the central nervous system
WORK ADDRESS
Department of Neurology, Room Ba 491
Phone: 010-703.3780
Fax: +31.10.7035927
mail: r.hintzen@erasmusmc.nl
CURRICULUM VITAE
In 1994 Rogier Hintzen received a PhD (cum laude) in Amsterdam for his studies on CD27 as a marker for T-cell activation and the identification of its ligand CD70. In the same year he became an immunologist.
During his years of training he performed research projects in New York (Albert Einstein College of Medicine) and Vancouver (University of British Columbia). In 1999 he started as a staff neurologist in Rotterdam, with a research interest in neuro-inflammation. In 2002 he initiated the Rotterdam MS Centre ErasMS.
His research activities have a strong translational character between patient and lab – vice versa. The overall research theme is “biological determinants of cause and course of MS”. In this programme the main collaborating departments are immunology, (genetic) epidemiology, clinical genetics, virology and Neuroscience. Recent achievements include the effect of infections on the clinical course of MS, the identification of predictive factors in both adult and pediatric MS, and the identification of novel genetic factors that enhance the risk for MS.
He supervises ongoing local and international studies on biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid using proteomic techniques en cellular immunological findings. He also performed a trial on the effect of bonemarrow transplantation in aggressive MS. Some functions: Board European School for Neuroimmunology (ESNI), International Scientific Comittee on Pediatric MS, Scientific committee International Society for Neuroimmunology (ISNI), Scientific advisory Board of the Dutch MS Foundation, Scientific committee of the Dutch Society of Neurology, Advisory board National Parkinson Centre in Nijmegen (ParC), section editor Genetics/Transcriptomics MS and Related Disorders (Elsevier).
FUTURE PLANS
RESEARCH PLANS
The MS-related research program has 4 arms: 1. Prediction after a first attack, 2. Genes involved in cause and course, 3. Environmental factors that influence cause and course, 4. Cellular immunology and biomarker research, including proteomics of CSF. Comparative studies are being performed in pediatric versus adult MS. Finally there is a strong interest in mimicks of MS, such as NMO (overlap) and ADEM.
TEACHING PLANS
He serves as lecturer at several graduate and post-graduate courses. He is involved in the development of a new Master of Science program in Infection and Immunity. He organised symposia workshops on inflammation and neurodegeneration and pediatric MS. Training of students at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels in neuro-immunology, neuro-virology and clinical neurology remain a key activity.
KEY PUBLICATIONS
1. Runia TF, Hop WC, de Rijke YB, Buljevac D, Hintzen RQ. Lower serum vitamin D levels are associated with a higher relapse risk in mulitple sclerosis. Neurology. 2012 Jul 17;79(3):261-6
2. Kreft KL, Verbraak E, Wierenga-Wolf AF, van Meurs M, Oostra BA, Laman JD, Hintzen RQ. The IL7Rα pathway is quantitatively and functionally altered in CD8 T cells in multiple sclerosis. J Immunol. 2012 Feb 15;188(4):1874-83
4. Ketelslegers IA, Modderman PW, VEnnergoor A, Killestein J, Hamann D, Hintzen RQ. Antibodies against aquaporin-4 in neuromyelitis optica: distinction between recurrent and monophasic patients. Mult Scler. 2011 Dec;17(12):1527-30
5. Kreft KL, Verbraak E, Wierwenga-Wolf AF, Laman JD, Hintzen RQ. Role of CD8 regulatory T-cells in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 2011 Mar;69(3):593;
6. Ketelslegers IA, Neuteboom RF, Boon M, Catsman-Berrevoets CE, Hintzen RQ. Dutch Pediatric MS Study Group. A comparison of MRI criteria for diagnosing pediatric ADEM and MS. Neurology. 2010 May 4;74(18):1412-5
7. de Lau LM, de Vries JM, van der Woude CJ, Kuipers EJ, Siepman DA, Sillevis Smitt PA, Hintzen RQ. Acute CNS white matter lesions in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009 Apr;15(4):576-80
8. Petzold A, Mondria T, Kuhle J, Rocca MA, Cornelissen J, te Boekhorst P, Lowenberg B, Giovannoni G, Filippi M, Kappos L, Hintzen RQ. Evidence for acute neurotoxicity after chemotherapy. Ann Neurol. 2010 Dec;6886):806-15
9. Aulchenko YS, Hoppenbrouwers IA, Ramagopalan SV, Broer L, Jafari N, Hillert J, Link J, Lundström W, Greiner E, Dessa Sadovnick A, Goossens D, Van Broeckhoven C, Del-FAvero J, Ebers GC, Oostra BA, van Duijn CM, Hintzen RQ. Genetic variation in the KIF1B locus influences susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. Nat GEnet. 2008 Dec;40(12):1402-3