PhD defence A. (Annemiek) Leeman

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are common in both men and women and are in most cases cleared within 2 years after infection. When not cleared by the immune system, an infection with high-risk HPV genome expression can cause instability of the human DNA that can lead to cellular aberrations which are reflected in histological morphology of the epithelium. These changes are called intraepithelial neoplasia or squamous intraepithelial lesion. A lot of these lesions represent productive infections that will regress spontaneously without treatment, but some are transforming infections that will progress to cervical or anal cancer without interference. Identification of molecular differences that can distinguish between productive lesions which might regress spontaneously and advanced transforming lesions with a higher risk of progression to cancer could help identify those patients that require treatment and differentiate those patients in which close follow-up would be more appropriate. This thesis aimed to identify biomarker expression patterns corresponding with different grades of cervical and anal precursor lesions in cytological and histological specimens, opposing an important tool for diagnosis and clinical management of patient at risk of cervical and anal cancer.

The public defence will take place at the Prof. Andries Queridoroom, 3rd floor Education Center, Erasmus MC. The ceremony will begin exactly at 13.30 hrs. In light of the solemn nature of the ceremony, we recommend that you do not take children under the age of 6 to the first part of the ceremony.