About

Dr Olivier Govaere, Newcastle University, UK is a senior research associate based in the lab of Professor Dr Quentin Anstee and Professor Dr Ann K. Daly.

He previously worked on the EU Horizon 2020-funded EPoS ‘Elucidating Pathways of Steatohepatitis’ project, aiming to understand the pathophysiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and examining the determinants of individual risk for disease progression by using a "multi-omics" translational-science approach.
Since 2018, he is working on the LITMUS project (Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis) funded by the European Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking, bringing together clinicians and scientists from prominent academic centres across Europe with companies from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The main goals of LITMUS are developing, validating and qualifying better biomarkers for testing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
https://litmus-project.eu/

Dr Govaere obtained his PhD in Molecular and Stem Cell Medicine at the KULeuven, Belgium. He did his project in the lab of Professor Dr Tania Roskams at the Department of Imaging & Pathology, focusing on the role of hepatic progenitor cells in liver regeneration and carcinogenesis. He continued his work during a 3-year postdoctoral fellowship investigating phenotype switching in human hepatocellular carcinomas and characterisation of the human hepatic progenitor cell niche in chronic liver disease.

His current research focusses on:

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Macrophage immunometabolism
• Hepatic liver regeneration

Prizes and awards

• The EASL International Liver Congress 2021. ‘Best of ILC’ summary slide deck award (as senior author).
• The EASL International Liver Congress 2020. ‘Best of ILC’ summary slide deck award.
• Top 10% award best abstract EASL NAFLD summit 2019 (as senior author).
• Best presentation award ICM Director’s Day Newcastle University, UK 2017
• Best presentation award 5^th European Young Hepatologists Workshop Marseille, France 2015.
• MSD award Best Clinical Publication: ‘Keratin19: A Key Role Player in the Invasion of Human Hepatocellular Carcinomas’. BASL Winter Meeting, La Hulpe, Belgium 2014.
• Young Investigator Top 10% award, EASL, London, 2014.
• European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Young Investigator Bursary Award 2010-2014
• Award for Best Abstract, 6th Joint Meeting of the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology and the Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 2011
• Award for Best Clinical Presentation, Belgian Week of Gastroenterology, 2011

• Younes R, Govaere O, Petta S, Miele L, Tiniakos D, Burt A, David E, Vecchio FM, Maggioni M, Cabibi D, McLeod D, Pareja MJ, Fracanzani AL, Aller R, Rosso C, Ampuero J, Gallego-Duran R, Armandi A, Caviglia GP, Zaki MYW, Liguori A, Francione P, Pennisi G, Grieco A, Birolo G, Fariselli P, Eslam M, Valenti L, George J, Romero-Gomez M, Anstee QM, Bugianesi E. Caucasian Lean Subjects with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Share Long-Term Prognosis of Non-Lean: Time for Reappraisal of BMI-Driven Approach?. Gut 2021, (ePub ahead of Print).
• Younes R, Burgoyne R, Tiniakos D, Govaere O. Clinical implications of hepatic progenitor cell activation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatoma Research 2021, 7, 15.
• Zaki MYW, Mahdi AK, Patman GL, Whitehead A, Mauricio JP, McCain MV, Televantou D, Abou-Beih S, Ramon-Gil E, Watson R, Cox C, Leslie J, Wilson C, Govaere O, Lunec J, Mann DA, Nakjang S, Oakley F, Shukla R, Anstee QM, Tiniakos D, Reeves HL. Key features of the environment promoting liver cancer in the absence of cirrhosis. Scientific Reports 2021, 11(1), 16727.
• Younes R, Caviglia GP, Govaere O, Rosso C, Armandi A, Sanavia T, Pennisi G, Liguori A, Francione P, Gallego-Duran R, Ampuero J, Garcia Blanco MJ, Aller R, Tiniakos D, Burt A, David E, Vecchio FM, Maggioni M, Cabibi D, Pareja MJ, Zaki MYW, Grieco A, Fracanzani AL, Valenti L, Miele L, Fariselli P, Petta S, Romero-Gomez M, Anstee QM, Bugianesi E. Long-term outcomes and predictive ability of non-invasive scoring systems in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology 2021, 75(4), 786-794.
• Pfister D, Gonzalo N, Nunez N, Pinyol R, Govaere O, Pinter M, Szydlowska M, Gupta R, Qiu M, Deczkowska A, Weiner A, Muller F, Sinha A, Friebel E, Engleitner T, Lenggenhager D, Moncsek A, Heide D, Stirm K, Kosla J, Kotsiliti E, Leone V, Dudek M, Yousuf S, Inverso D, Singh I, Teijeiro A, Castet F, Montironi C, Haber PK, Tiniakos D, Bedossa P, Cockell S, Younes R, Vacca M, Marra F, Schattenberg JM, Allison M, Bugianesi E, Ratziu R, Pressiani T, DAlessio A, Personeni N, Rimassa L, Daly AK, Scheiner B, Pomej K, Kirstein MM, Vogel A, PeckRadosavljevic M, Hucke F, Finkelmeier F, Waidmann O, Trojan J, Schulze K, Wege H, Koch S, Weinmann A, Bueter M, Rossler F, Siebenhuner A, DeDosso S, Mallm JP, Umansky V, Jugold M, Luedde T, Schietinger A, Schirmacher P, Emu B, Augustin HG, Billeter A, MullerStich B, Kikuchi H, Duda DG, Kutting F, Waldschmidt DT, Ebert MP, Rahbari N, Mei HE, Schulz AR, Ringelhan M, Malek N, Spahn S, Bitzer M, deGalarreta MR, Lujambio A, Dufour JF, Marron TU, Kaseb A, Kudo M, Huang YH, Djouder N, Wolter K, Zender L, Marche PN, Decaens T, Pinato DJ, Rad R, Mertens JC, Weber A, Unger K, Meissner F, Roth S, Jilkova ZM, Claassen M, Anstee QM, Amit I, Knolle P, Becher B, Llovet JM, Heikenwalder M. NASH limits anti-tumor surveillance in immunotherapy-treated HCC. Nature 2021, 592, 450-456.
• Kozumi K, Kodama T, Murai H, Sakane S, Govaere O, Cockell S, Motooka D, Kakita N, Yamada Y, Kondo Y, Tahata Y, Yamada R, Hikita H, Sakamori R, Kamada Y, Daly AK, Anstee QM, Tatsumi T, Morii E, Takehara T. Transcriptomics Identify Thrombospondin-2 as a Biomarker for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Advanced Liver Fibrosis. Hepatology 2021, 74(5), 2452-2466.
• Vacca M, Leslie J, Virtue S, Lam BYH, Govaere O, Tiniakos D, Snow S, Davies S, Petkevicius K, Tong Z, Peirce V, Nielsen MJ, Ament Z, Li W, Kostrzewski T, Leeming DJ, Ratziu V, Allison MED, Anstee QM, Griffin JL, Oakley F, Vidal-Puig A. Bone Morphogenic Protein 8B Promotes the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Nature Metabolism 2020, 2, 514-531.
• Pfister D, Nunez N, Sinha A, Weiner A, Deczkowska A, Pinter M, Govaere O, Muller F, Anstee QM, Entgleitner T, Rad R, Pinyol R, Torrecilla S, Dudek M, Knolle P, Weber A, Lengenhagger D, Llovet JM, Amit I, Meissner F, Becher B, Heikenwalder M. Erratum: Adverse effects of PD-1 targeted immunotherapy in NAFLD-triggered HCC. Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie 2020, 58(3), e71-e71.
• Anstee QM, Darlay R, Cockell S, Meroni M, Govaere O, Tiniakos D, Burt AD, Bedossa P, Palmer J, Liu YL, Aithal GP, Allison M, Yki-Järvinen H, Vacca M, Dufour JF, Invernizzi P, Prati D, Ekstedt M, Kechagias S, Francque S, Petta S, Bugianesi E, Clement K, Ratziu V, Schattenberg JM, Valenti L, Day CP, Cordell HJ, Daly AK. Genome-Wide Association Study of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis in a Histologically-Characterised Cohort. Journal of Hepatology 2020, 73(3), 505-515.
• Schneider CV, Hamesch K, Gross A, Mandorfer M, Moeller LS, Pereira V, Pons M, Kuca P, Reichert MC, Benini F, Burbaum B, Voss J, Gutberlet M, Woditsch V, Lindhauer C, Fromme M, Kumpers J, Bewersdorf L, Schaefer B, Eslam M, Bals R, Janciauskiene S, Carvao J, Neureiter D, Zhou B, Woran K, Bantel H, Geier A, Dirrichs T, Stickel F, Teumer A, Verbeek J, Nevens F, Govaere O, Krawczyk M, Roskams T, Haybaeck J, Lurje G, Chorostowska-Wynimko J, Genesca J, Reiberger T, Lammert F, Krag A, George J, Anstee QM, Trauner M, Datz C, Gaisa NT, Denk H, Trautwein C, Aigner E, Strnad P. Liver Phenotypes of European Adults Heterozygous or Homozygous for Pi∗Z Variant of AAT (Pi∗MZ vs Pi∗ZZ genotype) and Noncarriers. Gastroenterology 2020, 159(2), 534-548.e11.
• Kragh Petersen S, Bilkei-Gorzo O, Govaere O, Hartlova A. Macrophages and scavenger receptors in obesity-associated non-alcoholic liver fatty disease (NAFLD). Scandinavian Journal of Immunology 2020, 92(5), e12971.
• Younes R, Govaere O, Petta S, Miele L, Tiniakos D, Burt A, David E, Vecchio FM, Maggioni M, Cabibi D, Fracanzani AL, Rosso C, GarciaBlanco MJ, Armandi A, Caviglia GP, Zaki MYW, Liguori A, Francione P, Pennisi G, Grieco A, Valenti L, Anstee QM, Bugianesi E. Presence of Serum Antinuclear Antibodies Does Not Impact Long-Term Outcomes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2020, 115(8), 1289-1292.
• Younes R, Govaere O, Petta S, Miele L, Tiniakos D, Burt A, David E, Vecchio FM, Maggioni M, Cabibi D, Fracanzani AL, Rosso C, Blanco MJG, Armandi A, Caviglia GP, Zaki MYW, Liguori A, Francione P, Pennisi G, Grieco A, Valenti L, Anstee QM, Bugianesi E. Presence of Serum Antinuclear Antibodies Does Not Impact Long-Term Outcomes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2020, 115(8), 1289-1292.
• Govaere O, Cockell S, Tiniakos D, Queen R, Younes R, Vacca M, Alexander L, Ravaioli F, Palmer J, Petta S, Boursier J, Rosso C, Johnson K, Wonders K, Day CP, Ekstedt M, Oresic M, Darlay R, Cordell H, Marra F, Vidal-Puig A, Bedossa P, Schattenberg JM, Clément K, Allison M, Bugianesi E, Ratziu V, Daly AK, Anstee QM. Transcriptomic profiling across the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease spectrum reveals gene signatures for steatohepatitis and fibrosis. Science Translational Medicine 2020, 12(572), eaba4448.
• Paish H, Reed L, Brown H, Bryan M, Govaere O, Leslie J, Barksby B, GarciaMacia M, Watson A, Xu X, Zaki M, Greaves L, Whitehall J, French J, White S, Manas D, Robinson S, Spoletini G, Griffiths C, Mann DA, Borthwick LA, Drinnan M, Mann J, Oakley F. A bioreactor technology for modelling fibrosis in human and rodent precision-cut liver slices. Hepatology 2019, 70(4), 1377-1391.
• Anstee QM, Reeves HL, Kotsiliti E, Govaere O, Heikenwalder M. From NASH to HCC: current concepts and future challenges. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2019, 16, 411-428.
• Govaere O, Cockell S, Van Haele M, Wouters J, Van Delm W, Van den Eynde K, Bianchi A, van Eijsden R, Van Steenbergen W, Monbaliu D, Nevens F, Roskams T. High-throughput sequencing identifies aetiology-dependent differences in ductular reaction in human chronic liver disease. Journal of Pathology 2019, 248(1), 66-76.
• Boyle M, Tiniakos D, Schattenberg JM, Ratziu V, Bugianessi E, Petta S, Oliveira CP, Govaere O, Younes R, McPherson S, Bedossa P, Nielsen MJ, Karsdal M, Leeming D, Kendrick S, Anstee QM. Performance of the PRO-C3 collagen neo-epitope biomarker in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. JHEP Reports 2019, 1(3), 188-198.
• Walker S, Wankell M, Ho V, White R, Deo N, Devine C, Dewdney B, Bhathal P, Govaere O, Roskams T, Qiao L, George J, Hebbard L. Targeting mTOR and Src restricts hepatocellular carcinoma growth in a novel murine liver cancer model. PLoS ONE 2019, 14(2), e0212860.
• Bartneck M, Schrammen P, Mockel D, Govaere O, Liepelt A, Krenkel O, Ergen C, McCain M, Eulberg D, Luedde T, Trautwein C, Kiessling F, Lammers T, Tacke F. The CCR2+ Macrophage Subset Promotes Pathogenic Angiogenesis for Tumor Vascularization in Fibrotic Livers. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2019, 7(2), 371-390.
• Van Haele M, Moya IM, Karaman R, Rens G, Snoeck J, Govaere O, Nevens F, Verslype C, Topal B, Monbaliu D, Halder G, Roskams T. YAP and TAZ Heterogeneity in Primary Liver Cancer: An Analysis of Its Prognostic and Diagnostic Role. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2019, 20(3), 638.
• Delladetsima I, Sakellariou S, Govaere O, Poulaki E, Felekouras E, Tiniakos D. Hepatic Progenitor Cells in Metastatic Liver Carcinomas. Histopathology 2018, 72(6), 1060-1065.
• Krenkel O, Puengel T, Govaere O, Abdallah AT, Mossanen JC, Kohlhepp M, Liepelt A, Lefebvre E, Luedde T, Hellerbrand C, Weiskirchen R, Longerich T, Costa IG, Anstee QM, Trautwein C, Tacke F. Therapeutic inhibition of inflammatory monocyte recruitment reduces steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. Hepatology 2018, 67(4), 1270-1283.
• Wouters J, Vizoso M, Martinez-Cardus A, Carmona FJ, Govaere O, Laguna T, Joseph J, Dynoodt P, Aura C, Foth M, Cloots R, van den Hurk K, Balint B, Murphy IG, McDermott EW, Sheahan K, Jirstrom K, Nodin B, Mallya-Udupi G, van den Oord JJ, Gallagher WM, Esteller M. Comprehensive DNA methylation study identifies novel progression-related and prognostic markers for cutaneous melanoma. BMC Medicine 2017, 15, 101.
• De Smedt L, Palmans S, Andel D, Govaere O, Boeckx B, Smeets D, Galle E, Wouters J, Barras D, Suffiotti M, Dekervel J, Tousseyn T, De Hertogh G, Prenen H, Tejpar S, Lambrechts D, Sagaert X. Expression profiling of budding cells in colorectal cancer reveals an EMT-like phenotype and molecular subtype switching. British Journal of Cancer 2017, 116, 58-65.
• De Roo AK, Wouters J, Govaere O, Foets B, van den Oord JJ. Identification of Circulating Fibrocytes and Dendritic Derivatives in Corneal Endothelium of Patients With Fuchs' Dystrophy. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 2017, 58(1), 670-681.
• Ceulemans A, Verhulst S, Van Haele M, Govaere O, Ventura J-J, Van Grunsven LA, Roskams T. RNA-sequencing-based comparative analysis of human hepatic progenitor cells and their niche from alcoholic steatohepatitis livers. Cell Death and Disease 2017, 8(11), e3164.
• Brouwers B, Fumagalli D, Brohee S, Hatse S, Govaere O, Floris G, Van den Eynde K, Bareche Y, Schoffski P, Smeets A, Neven P, Lambrechts D, Sotiriou C, Wildiers H. The footprint of the ageing stroma in older patients with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research 2017, 19, 1-14.
• Govaere O, Petz M, Wouters J, Vandewynckel Y-P, Scott EJ, Topal B, Nevens F, Verslype C, Anstee QM, Van Vlierberghe H, Mikulits W, Roskams T. The PDGFRα-laminin B1-keratin 19 cascade drives tumor progression at the invasive front of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene 2017, 36, 6605-6616.
• Mossanen JC, Krenkel O, Ergen C, Govaere O, Liepelt A, Puengel T, Heymann F, Kalthoff S, Lefebvre E, Eulberg D, Luedde T, Marx G, Strassburg CP, Roskams T, Trautwein C, Tacke F. Chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2–positive monocytes aggravate the early phase of acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury. Hepatology 2016, 64(5), 1667-1682.
• Verbeke L, Mannaerts I, Schierwagen R, Govaere O, Klein S, Vander Elst I, Windmolders P, Farre R, Wenes M, Mazzone M, Nevens F, Van Grunsven LA, Trebicka J, Laleman W. FXR agonist obeticholic acid reduces hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in a rat model of toxic cirrhosis. Scientific Reports 2016, 6, 33453.
• Rodrigues RM, Govaere O, Roskams T, Vanhaecke T, Rogiers V, De Kock J. Gene expression data from acetaminophen-induced toxicity in human hepatic in vitro systems and clinical liver samples. Data in Brief 2016, 7, 1052-1057.
• Bartneck M, Fech V, Ehling J, Govaere O, Warzecha KT, Hittatiya K, Vucur M, Gautheron J, Luedde T, Trautwein C, Lammers T, Roskams T, Jahnen-Dechent W, Tacke F. Histidine-rich glycoprotein promotes macrophage activation and inflammation in chronic liver disease. Hepatology 2016, 63(4), 1310-1324.
• Govaere O, Wouters J, Petz M, Vandewynckel Y-P, Van Den Eynde K, Van Den Broeck A, Verhulst S, Dolle L, Gremeaux L, Ceulemans A, Nevens F, Van Grunsven LA, Topal B, Vankelecom H, Giannelli G, Van Vlierberghe H, Mikulits W, Komuta M, Roskams T. Laminin-332 sustains chemoresistance and quiescence as part of the human hepatic cancer stem cell niche. Journal of Hepatology 2016, 64(3), 609-617.
• Janky R, Binda MM, Allemeersch J, Van den broeck A, Govaere O, Swinnen JV, Roskams T, Aerts S, Topal B. Prognostic relevance of molecular subtypes and master regulators in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BMC Cancer 2016, 16, 1-15.
• Simerzin A, Zorde-Khvalevsky E, Rivkin M, Adar R, Zucman-Rossi J, Couchy G, Roskams T, Govaere O, Oren M, Giladi H, Galun E. The liver-specific microRNA-122*, the complementary strand of microRNA-122, acts as a tumor suppressor by modulating the p53/mouse double minute 2 homolog circuitry. Hepatology 2016, 64(5), 1623-1636.
• Rodrigues RM, Heymans A, De Boe V, Sachinidis A, Chaudhari U, Govaere O, Roskams T, Vanhaecke T, Rogiers V, De Kock J. Toxicogenomics-based prediction of acetaminophen-induced liver injury using human hepatic cell systems. Toxicology Letters 2016, 240(1), 50-59.
• De Smedt L, Palmans S, Govaere O, Moisse M, Boeckx B, De Hertogh G, Prenen H, Van Cutsem E, Tejpar S, Tousseyn T, Sagaert X. Expression of FOXP1 and Colorectal Cancer Prognosis. Laboratory Medicine 2015, 46(4), 299-311.
• De Smedt L, Lemahieu J, Palmans S, Govaere O, Tousseyn T, Van Cutsem E, Prenen H, Tejpar S, Spaepen M, Matthijs G, Decaestecker C, Moles Lopez X, Demetter P, Salmon I, Sagaert X. Microsatellite instable vs stable colon carcinomas: analysis of tumour heterogeneity, inflammation and angiogenesis. British Journal of Cancer 2015, 113(3), 500-509.
• Govaere O, Roskams T. Pathogenesis and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma at the Cellular and Molecular Levels. Clinics in Liver Disease 2015, 19(2), 261-276.
• Mertens F, Gremeaux L, Chen J, Fu Q, Willems C, Roose H, Govaere O, Roskams T, Cristina C, Becu-Villalobos D, Jorissen M, Vander Poorten V, Bex M, Van Loon J, Vankelecom H. Pituitary tumors contain a side population with tumor stem cell-associated characteristics. Endocrine-Related Cancer 2015, 22(4), 481-504.
• Vandewyncke Y-P, Laukens D, Devisscher L, Paridaens A, Bogaerts E, Verhelst X, Van den Bussche A, Raevens S, Van Govaere C, Van Troys M, Ampe C, Descamps B, Vanhove C, Govaere O, Geerts A, Van Vlierberghe H. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid dampens oncogenic apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress during hepatocarcinogen exposure. Oncotarget 2015, 6(29), 28011-28025.
• Wouters J, Stas M, Govaere O, Barrette K, Dudek A, Vankelecom H, Haydu LE, Thompson JF, Scolyer RA, Van Den Oord JJ. A novel hypoxia-associated subset of FN1 high MITF low melanoma cells: Identification, characterization, and prognostic value. Modern Pathology 2014, 27(8), 1088-1100.
• Hammerich L, Bangen JM, Govaere O, Zimmermann HW, Gassler N, Huss S, Liedtke C, Prinz I, Lira SA, Luedde T, Roskams T, Trautwein C, Heymann F, Tacke F. Chemokine receptor CCR6-dependent accumulation of γδ T cells in injured liver restricts hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Hepatology 2014, 59(2), 630-642.
• Rodrigues RM, De Kock J, Branson S, Vinken M, Meganathan K, Chaudhari U, Sachinidis A, Govaere O, Roskams T, De Boe V, Vanhaecke T, Rogiers V. Human skin-derived stem cells as a novel cell source for in vitro hepatotoxicity screening of pharmaceuticals. Stem Cells and Development 2014, 23(1), 44-55.
• Govaere O, Komuta M, Berkers J, Spee B, Janssen C, De Luca F, Katoonizadeh A, Wouters J, Van Kempen LC, Durnez A, Verslype C, De Kock J, Rogiers V, Van Grunsven LA, Topal B, Pirenne J, Vankelecom H, Nevens F, Van Den Oord J, Pinzani M, Roskams T. Keratin 19: a key role player in the invasion of human hepatocellular carcinomas. Gut 2014, 63(4), 674-685.