First Defenders

The immune system can be roughly divided into two – the innate immune system, which is the first barrier against disease-causing pathogens, and the acquired immune system, which is activated later and responds in a more targeted manner. Current research conducted by Professor Katrien Vandoorne of the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering focused on the innate immune system.

The immune system’s blood cells are produced in the bone marrow, which is situated in the spongy part of certain bones throughout our bodies.

Prof. Vandoorne developed a new technique that makes it possible to track the production of the blood cells in the bone marrow. To do so, she used tiny magnetic particles from iron oxide, which she tracked using various imaging techniques, including in vivo magnetic resonance imaging.

Prof. Katrien Vandoorne of the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering

The research, which was carried out on mice, examined the effect of different levels of inflammation on the production of blood cells.

Prof. Vandoorne found that the more severe the inflammation, the larger the number of immune system blood cells that are produced in the bone marrow which absorb more nanoparticles. In other words, the body reacts to infection by producing inflammation – increasing the number of immune system blood cells so that they will react to the infection.

She concluded that bone marrow is not just a “cell factory.” Regarding possible applications, this discovery will enable immune cells to be monitored more precisely.

The study also emphasizes the potential of these nanometric particles for delivering drugs, which would be relevant for a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart diseases and degenerative diseases.

According to Prof. Vandoorne, “We will now be able to offer physicians an efficient tool for the early detection of infections, based on monitoring bone marrow. We believe that this discovery will significantly improve the way physicians diagnose various diseases, which would lead to more personalized and effective treatments.”

Prof. Katrien Vandoorne joined the Technion’s Faculty of Biomedical Engineering in September 2020, following her academic journey spanning from Ghent University in Belgium, where she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in veterinary medicine, to a Ph.D. in the Department of Biological Regulation at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Subsequently, she pursued postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School and earned the title of Assistant Professor from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Eindhoven University in the Netherlands.