Rene E. M. Toes - Biography#

Rene Toes is Professor in Experimental Rheumatology at Leiden University (The Netherlands), and a leading international expert in the field of immune-regulation of human autoimmune disease, especially Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). He obtained his PhD from Leiden University, where he set-out his career in the field of tumour-immunology. Between 1991-2001 he focused on the development of anti-cancer vaccines and the fundamental aspects of tumour-specific T-cell-priming and antigen-presentation.

In 2001, he shifted his efforts on human autoimmune diseases by focusing on the immunopathogenesis and immune-regulation of rheumatic disorders. Initially, he investigated how T-cell tolerance underlying RA pathogenesis is broken and how HLA, the most prominent genetic risk factor for RA, contributes to the disease development. His work on the HLA-RA connection led to a paradigm shift: the HLA-system does not predispose to RA as such, but rather to Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies (ACPA)-positive RA. These antibodies are highly specific for RA. He demonstrated that the primary role of the HLA-molecules relates to the formation of the autoimmune response underlying this autoantibody response.

Further on, he investigated the evolution of the autoantibody- and autoreactive B-cell response in RA and other rheumatic diseases. His group pioneered several important discoveries, for example by providing first evidence that ACPA are cross-reactive towards multiple citrullinated antigens, or that the autoantibody responds expands before disease-onset. His group was also first to visualize, isolate and characterize ACPA-expressing B-cells to show that these activate, proliferate and promote inflammation in RA.

His research into different autoantibody systems led to the discovery of anti-Carbamylated Protein Antibodies; he also showed how these are related to other autoantibody families in RA. By now, he is recognized as leader in the field as evidenced by the award of the Carol Nachman prize for rheumatology 2018 and an ERC advanced in 2020.