Immunofluorescence image of a murine recurrent brain tumor that relapsed after radiotherapy.
The abundant tumor-associated macrophages are depicted in red and white.

Leila Akkari

Macrophages in cancer

Interactions and heterotypic communications between tumors cells, the associated stroma and cells of the immune system profoundly influences various steps of cancer malignancy. We now appreciate that immune cells evolve in their composition and programming in a tissue, tumor and stage-dependent manner.

Our lab tackles these challenges by studying the profound complexity of immune cell regulation in the TME as it dynamically adapts within an evolving tumor, focusing on liver and brain cancer, to harness these cells in personalized anti-cancer treatments.

More about this group

Our research

Team members

Leila Akkari

Group leader

Ammarina Beumer-Chuwonpad

Postdoctoral fellow

Technician

PhD student

Postdoctoral fellow

Technician

Research Associate

PhD student

Technician

PhD student

Postdoc, Roving Scientist

Naz Kocabay

Technician

Eduardo Martin Quintana

Research assistant

Postdoctoral fellow

PhD student

PhD student

Postdoctoral fellow

PhD student

Research Associate

PhD student

Alumni

Christel Ramirez

Daan Kloosterman

Daniel Taranto

Masami Ando-Kuri

Thijs van Schaik

Faces of NKI

Hundreds of scientists at the Netherlands Cancer Institute dedicate their lives to finding ways to outsmart cancer. Who are they? Meet Leila Akkari, whose scientific curiosity stems from different corners of the globe and drives her to hijack the hijackers.