Research Maya Berg | Maya Berg | University of Antwerp

Research team

Physiopharmacology (PHYSPHAR)

Expertise

My academic background spans pharmaceutical sciences, medicinal chemistry, molecular parasitology, and drug discovery, complemented by project management training at the Antwerp Management School. As research manager for the Centre of Excellence Infla Med (2016–2025), I gained extensive experience in grant writing, strategic research support, and the coordination of diverse international funding applications, including multiple EU initiatives. Since 2026, I am appointed as senior research coordinator for the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In this role, I collaborate closely with researchers, facilitate and support grant applications and long term funding strategies and contribute to the department’s science communication efforts to showcase our impactful research.

Discovery of the first 'druglike' Granzyme B inhibitors, binding mode characterization and transformation into activity-based probes for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging. 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2026

Abstract

Granzyme B (GRZB) is the most abundant protease present in the granules of cytotoxic immune cells present and plays a key role in targeted cancer cell killing by the immune system. In tumors, the amount of GRZB that is secreted by activated immune cells, is inversely correlated with the degree of immunosuppression. Therefore, GRZB is quantified in tumor biopsies of patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Moreover, significant research effort is going to the discovery of Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-probes that allow minimally-invasive imaging of GRZB. This approach is also relevant for CAR T and CAR NK cell therapy, where the amount of released GRZB correlates with therapy response. Within a Marie Curie Doctoral Network 'OncoProTools' we are conducting research on novel GRZB activity-based probes. The recruited postdoc will contribute to this effort in the following ways: (i) Production and purification of GrzB via an in-house recombinant expression system; (ii) Structural biology: elucidation of the structure of 3 [GRZB-probe] co-complexes and determination of the probe binding modes via macromolecular X-ray crystallography; (iii) Kinetic characterization of the probes: determination of binding parameters via jump-dilution assays, progress curve analysis, eventually combined with grating-coupled interferometry; (iv) Synthesis of optimized probes: Preparation of further optimized GRZB probes.

Researcher(s)

Promoter: Van Der Veken Pieter
Co-promoter: Berg Maya
Co-promoter: De Meester Ingrid
Co-promoter: De Winter Hans
Co-promoter: Elvas Filipe
Co-promoter: Sterckx Yann
Fellow: dos Reis Rocho Fernanda

Research team(s)

Medicinal Chemistry (UAMC)01/01/2025 - 31/12/2026

Funding

Project type(s)

Research Project

Design and synthesis of metacaspase inhibitors as potential lead compounds for antiparasitic chemotherapeutics. 01/10/2008 - 30/09/2010

Abstract

This research evolves around a cysteïne protease of Trypanosoma brucei, metacaspase (MCA), of which the function is currently still unknown. Metacaspase has already been tested as drug target, but no MCA inhibitors are known at present. The project focuses on a rational design and synthesis of inhibitors in order to establish a structure-activity-relationship. In a next step, optimization of the achieved inhibitors will be examined. Our final goal is to develop chemically stable inhibitors with a high potency and maximal selectivity with respect to human caspases.