Biography
Michael Y. Schakelaar is a PhD candidate at University Medical Center Utrecht (The Netherlands), where his research focuses on viroimmunotherapy for brain cancer. He received his MSc in Biology of Disease cum laude from Utrecht University in 2022, following earlier work on innate immune responses to cytomegalovirus infection and the implementation of dried blood spot diagnostics.
His doctoral project centers on the development of novel nanobody-based multispecific immune cell engagers that redirect natural killer cells toward brain tumor cells. These immune cell engagers are validated as standalone therapeutics and as encoded payloads within oncolytic Vaccinia virus, which serves as a self-amplifying local delivery platform capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and remodeling the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This research line was established following an EMBO Scientific Exchange Grant-funded visit to the laboratory of Dr. Juan José Rojas Expósito in Barcelona, initiating an ongoing collaboration on oncolytic Vaccinia virus for solid tumors
Michael holds a hybrid PhD position, combining his biomedical research with educational research into academic skill development. In this capacity, he coordinates research-based practicals across multiple undergraduate programs at Utrecht University and serves as co-coordinator of the interdisciplinary course 'Pathology'. He has supervised five BSc and ten MSc student internships, and from 2025 holds an additional appointment as Teacher-Innovator at the New Utrecht School, focusing on interprofessional and interdisciplinary learning.
Research Projects
Biomedical
Educational
Selected Publications
Schakelaar MY*, Monnikhof M*, Crnko S, Pijnappel EW, Meeldijk J, Ten Broeke T, Bovenschen N. Cellular immunotherapy for medulloblastoma. Neuro Oncology. 2023 Apr 6;25(4):617-627.
Monnikhof M*, Schakelaar MY*, Meulenbroeks C, Quist M, Perzolli A, Selten A, Koster CJM, Maassen DSC, Montoro Canelo A, Fredriks M, Koppers MJA, Clevers K, Klein J, Kaludjerovic V, Meeldijk J, Pijnappel EW, Rebel HG, van Kempen S, Crnko S, Koorman T, Federico A, Valzano F, Wesseling P, Calkoen FGJ, van der Lugt J, Ten Broeke T, Kool M, Bovenschen N. Dual targeting of CD155/TIGIT and PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoints potentiates NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in medulloblastoma. Neuro Oncology Advances. 2025 May 18;7(1):vdaf099.
Schakelaar MY, Shan L, Li S, Bouma RG, Hommes JW, Sanders JGF, Meeldijk J, Winkler LL, Ten Broeke T, Kalejta RF, Bovenschen N. Cytotoxic lymphocytes counteract viral type I interferon immune evasion. PLoS Pathogens. 2026 Feb 9;22(2):e1013955.
Schakelaar MY, Maas A, van Ommen ALN, Spiering AE, de Jonge R, Wijchers P, van Rossum G, Heesters BA, de Jong OG, Zandveld J, Rebel HG, Meeldijk J, Pijnappel EW, van Dijk S, Di Maggio A, Nijssen O, Sanders JGF, Hoogerwerf L, van Spaandonk M, Crnko S, Koorman T, Jenniskens K, Onland-Moret NC, van Geelen SM, Ten Broeke T, van Royen-Kerkhof A, Dilaver G, Oliveira S, Kok RJ, van Laake LW, van der Harst P, Spiering W, Rutten FH, van Brussel M, den Ruijter HM, Bovenschen N. Uniting education, research, healthcare, and society to advance women's heart health. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2024 Nov 4;221(11):e20240877.
Schakelaar MY, Bassat Q, Comiskey CM, Felvinczi K, Haarhuis JCM, Bovenschen N. Linked research hubs train students to tackle societal challenges. Nature. 2022 Nov;611(7936):449.my