Research focus
The research of the Radboudumc Expertise Center for Iron disorders focuses on the understanding of iron metabolism, in particular the identification and characterization of novel factors that affect dysregulation of iron homeostasis in various human disorders among which are some of the world's most prevalent diseases such as iron deficiency, anemia of chronic (kidney) disease, hereditary hemochromatosis, inherited (iron loading) anemia's, and malarial infections. Basic research lines of the Center focuses on i) oral iron supplementation as a therapy for iron deficiency and its effects on the human gut microbiome and ii) renal iron handling in health and disease.
New findings are translated into novel diagnostic assays and therapeutic strategies that can be implemented in the clinic. Among the Center’s most recent translational achievements and activities are the development and harmonization efforts of assays for toxic iron forms non transferrin bound iron (NTBI) and labile plasma iron (LPI) and the iron regulatory hormone peptide hepcidin.