prof.dr. R.J. Scheper

Rik Scheper is an Immunologist at the Depts of Pathology, Dermatology and Medical Oncology of the VU University Medical Center (VUmc) in Amsterdam. After his thesis studies on T cells in allergic contact dermatitis in Amsterdam, he worked in London (with John Turk) and Basel (with Ladislav Polak). In 1980 he was one of the co-founders of the ERGECD. At the Vumc he expanded research groups in the fields of experimental and clinical immunodermatology, multidrug resistance and tumorimmunology, resulting in over 400 publications in the international literature.

dr. B.M.E. von Blomberg

Mary von Blomberg is an immunologist at the Dept of Pathology of the VUmc. After her thesis studies with Rik Scheper on in vitro assays in allergic contact dermatitis she has devoted much attention to implement both B and T cell-focused diagnostic tools in clinical medicine, including ACD and various autoimmune disorders. Together with dr Ingrid van Hoogstraten and dr Marco Schreurs, who completed their theses on oral tolerance studies in ACD and novel tumor immunotherapeutic approaches respectively, she supervises the Medical Immunology laboratory at VUmc

dr. S. Gibbs

Sue Gibbs is a cell-biologist at the Dept of Dermatology of the VUmc, and specialized in advanced skin culturing techniques. After her thesis on epidermal differentiation in Leiden University she worked with Dr Maja Ponec (LUmc) to develop advanced skin culturing techniques. In 2000 Sue moved to VUmc to set up a research group using skin models and tissue engineering techniques to develop novel wound healing therapies and to develop novel in vitro assays for irritancy and allergenicity. Currently she is actively involved in the EU financed FP6 project Sens-it-iv and is WorkPackage leader of ‘’In vitro assays development and opitimization’’.

dr. T. Rustemeyer

Thomas Rustemeyer is clinical dermatologist at the VUmc. After starting his clinical and research training with Peter Frosch in Dortmund, he completed his thesis with Rik Scheper in Amsterdam, studying epidemiology, sensitization and tolerance mechanisms, as well as in vitro diagnostic issues for methacrylate sensitizers. After Derk Bruynzeel’s retirement in 2008, he took over supervision of the clinical skin allergology unit of the Vumc. Currently he provides clinical co-supervision on various ongoing projects, and serves frequently as a key note speaker at international meetings in the field of immunodermatology.