Biography
Dr. Theo G. van Kooten
Current research
Lens fibrosis / lens epithelium / epithelial-mesenchymal transition / anti-fibrotic drugs / eye lens models / macrophage-mediated degradation of biomaterials / macrophage biology / macrophage-fibroblast interactions / macrophage activity patterns / foreign body response / MaFIA mouse window model / implantation models for studying tissue responses to biomaterials.
Being educated in biomedical sciences, I started working at the interface between biomaterials, that are implanted in the human body, and cells and tissues interacting with these materials. Topics of interest have changed over time depending on the projects I was involved in. Education has become an integral part of my work. I am teaching courses on biological implant evaluation, the immune response to biomaterials and interface biology at the bachelor and master level within the Biomedical Technology curriculum. Current research is focusing on the development of approaches to control lens epithelial cell (trans)differentiation as a function of interactions with biomaterials. This work was funded by EFRO/SNN. In addition, the degradation of polymers by macrophages as an in vitro model is a topic of interest. Furthermore, I am involved in studies of macrophage activation in and by biofilms in relation to the biomaterial surfaces on which these processes occur. In general terms, the biocompatibility of biomaterials is the topic of my research and teaching.
Selected publications (103 publication in total)
1. Bat E, van Kooten TG, Harmsen MC, Plantinga JA, van Luyn MJ, Feijen J, Grijpma DW. Physical properties and erosion behavior of poly(trimethylene carbonate-co-ε-caprolactone) networks. Macromol Biosci. 2013 May;13(5):573-83. doi: 10.1002/mabi.201200373.
2. SA Koopmans, T Terwee, A Hanssen, H Martin, S Langner, O Stachs, TG van Kooten. Prevention of capsular opacification after accommodative lens refilling. Pilot study of strategies evaluated in a monkey model. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2014 Sep;40(9):1521-1535. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.02.034.
3. Swartjes JJ, Sharma PK, van Kooten TG, van der Mei HC, Mahmoudi M, Busscher HJ, Rochford ET. Current Developments in Antimicrobial Surface Coatings for Biomedical Applications. Curr Med Chem. 22(18): 2116-2129 (2015).
4. Joana F. da Silva Domingues, Steven Roest, Yi Wang, Henny C. van der Mei*, Matthew Libera, Theo G. van Kooten, Henk J. Busscher. Macrophage phagocytic activity towards adhering Staphylococci on cationic and patterned hydrogel coatings versus common biomaterials. Acta Biomater. 2015 May;18:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2015.02.028.
5. Lisanne M Nibourg, Edith Gelens, Menno de Jong, Roel Kuijer, Theo G van Kooten, Steven A Koopmans. Nanofiber-based hydrogels for the prevention of capsular opacification. Experimental Eye Research 143: 60-67 (2016)
6. Lisanne M Nibourg, Edith Gelens, Simone AF Nibourg, Menno de Jong, Roel Kuijer, Theo G van Kooten, Steven A Koopmans. Effects of peptide ratios in nanofiber-based hydrogels for the prevention of capsular opacification. Acta Ophthalmologia, 2016: 94: 721–729
7. Theo G. van Kooten, Steven A. Koopmans, Thom Terwee, Sönke Langner, Oliver Stachs and Rudolf F. Guthoff. Long-term prevention of capsular opacification after lens-refilling surgery in a rabbit model. Acta Ophthalmologica, 2019, doi: 10.1111/aos.14096
8. Abigail M. Forson, Colin W. K. Rosman, Theo G. van Kooten, Henny C. van der Mei and Jelmer Sjollema. Micrococcal Nuclease stimulates Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation in a Murine Implant Infection Model. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Volume 11, Article 799845