Prof. Dr. Reinoud Gosens

About Reinoud Gosens

Reinoud Gosens is Associate Professor of Translational Pharmacology at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He has an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Groningen and a PhD from the Department of Molecular Pharmacology at the University of Groningen. Dr Gosens has undertaken research fellowships at the University of Manitoba, Canada, and the University of Groningen. He is a member of the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the American Physiological Society, the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the Dutch Pharmacological Society and the Netherlands Respiratory Society. He is conferences and seminars director-elect for ERS.

Dr Gosens’ current research interests are focused on mechanisms that regulate structural remodelling and repair of the airways and parenchyma in asthma and COPD. Identifying novel therapeutics for chronic lung disease is my long-term scientific goal. In this endeavour, I have focused my past work on mechanisms of chronic inflammation and tissue remodelling, and lung repair.

A major interest that I have is how the WNT pathway controls lung repair. My research interests are directed at understanding how lung stem cells and their niche interact; how this is dysfunctional in disease (e.g. COPD) and how this can be corrected with targeted pharmacological treatment. This work is supported by grants from the Netherlands Lung Foundation and the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research.

Selected publications

1. Spanjer AI, Menzen MH, Dijkstra AE, Berge M, Boezen HM, Nickle DC, Sin DD, Bossé Y, Brandsma CA, Timens W, Postma DS, Meurs H, Heijink IH, Gosens R. (2016). A pro-inflammatory role for the FZD8 receptor in chronic bronchitis. Thorax.71:312-22.
2. Spanjer AI, Baarsma HA, Oostenbrink LM, Jansen SR, Kuipers CC, Lindner M, Postma DS, Meurs H, Heijink IH, Königshoff M*, Gosens R*. (2016). TGF-β-induced profibrotic signaling is regulated in part by the WNT receptor Frizzled-8. FASEB J. 30:1823-1835. * Shared senior authorship.
3. Kumawat K, Menzen MH, Bos IST, Baarsma HA, Borger P, Roth M, Tamm M, Halayko AJ, Simoons M, Prins A, Postma DS, Schmidt M & Gosens R. (2013) Non-canonical WNT-5A signaling regulates TGF-β-induced extracellular matrix production by airway smooth muscle cells. FASEB J, 27:1631-1643.
4. Baarsma HA, Spanjer AIR, Haitsma G, Engelbertink LHJM, Meurs H, Jonker MR, Timens W, Postma DS, Kerstjens HAM & Gosens R. (2011). Activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling in pulmonary fibroblasts by TGF-β1 is increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. PLoS One, 6:e25450.
5. Gosens R, Bos IST, Zaagsma J & Meurs H. (2005) Protective effects of tiotropium bromide in the progression of airway smooth muscle remodeling. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 171:1096-1102.