Minke Rab
Minke Rab graduated from medical school in 2010 after completing the Selective University Medical Masters (SUMMA) program at the UMCU, The Netherlands. In 2015 she started her PhD project on hereditary hemolytic anemias (UMCU, 2015-2019). After her internal medicine residency, she completed a two-year fellowship in Hematology (UMCU) in 2023 while combining her clinical work with laboratory research. Thereafter, she has been appointed as hematologist at the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, where she is involved in the expertise center for hemoglobinopathies. Next to her clinical work, she works as assistant professor at the Central Diagnostic Laboratory-Research, UMC Utrecht. A key achievement is the development of oxygenscan-related biomarkers reflecting RBC sickling on which she co-authored nine papers. She led the development of the oxygenscan from an early prototype stage into a technique that is now incorporated in various clinical trials in the US, Europe and Africa.
Our research
Our translational research focusses on biomarker development in sickle cell disease and other hemolytic anemia’s. We investigate the applicability of those biomarkers to assess novel therapies both in vitro and in vivo. We aim to perform investigator initiated studies with novel therapies and combine these studies with laboratory research.
Relevant websites
- Patiëntenfolder Sikkelcentrum kinderen en volwassenen
- Sikkelcelziekte & Thalassemie Netwerk
Our team
In collaboration with UMC Utrecht, Richard van Wijk's Lab:
Jennifer Bos, research technician
Brigitte van Oirschot, assistant researcher
Marissa Traets, PhD student
Jonathan de Wilde, PhD student
Key publications
Minke Rab, Kanne, C.K., Boisson, C. Bos, J.F., van Oirschot, B.A., Houwing, M.E., Renoux, C.E., Bartels, M., Rijneveld, A.W., Nur, E., Cnossen, M.H., Joly, P., Nader, E., Fort, R., Connes, P., van Wijk, R., Sheehan, V.A., and van Beers, E.J. Oxygen gradient ektacytometry derived biomarkers are associated with acute complications in sickle cell disease. Blood Adv. 2023 Nov 17.
van Dijk MJ, Minke Rab, van Oirschot BA, Bos J, Derichs C, Rijneveld AW, Cnossen MH, Nur E, Biemond BJ, Bartels M, Jans JJM, van Solinge WW, Schutgens REG, van Wijk R, van Beers EJ. One-year safety and efficacy of mitapivat in sickle cell disease: follow-up results of a phase 2, open-label study. Blood Adv. 2023 Nov 7.
van Dijk M.J., Minke Rab, van Oirschot B.A., Bos J, Derichs C, Rijneveld A.W, Cnossen M.H, Nur E, Biemond B.J, Bartels M, Jans J.J.M, van Solinge W.W, Schutgens R.E.G, van Wijk R, van Beers E.J. Safety and efficacy of mitapivat, an oral pyruvate kinase activator, in sickle cell disease: A phase 2, open-label study. American Journal of Hematology 2022 Jul;97(7):E226-E229.
Minke Rab, Bos J., van Oirschot B.A., van Straaten S., Kosinski P.A., Chubukov V., Kim H., Magnus H., Schutgens R.E.G., Pasterkamp G., Dang L., Kung, C., van Beers E.J., van Wijk R. Decreased activity and stability of pyruvate kinase in sickle cell disease: a novel target for therapy by mitapivat. Blood 2021 May 27;137(21):2997-3001.
Minke Rab*, van Oirschot B.A.*, Kosinski P.A., Hixon J., Johnson K., Chubukov V., Dang L., van Straaten S., Pasterkamp G., van Solinge W.W., van Beers E.J., Kung C., van Wijk R. AG-348 (Mitapivat), an allosteric activator of red cell pyruvate kinase, increases enzymatic activity, protein stability and ATP levels over a broad range of PKLR genotypes. Haematologica 2021 Jan 1;106(1):238-249.
Minke Rab, Kanne C.K., Bos J.F., van Oirschot B.A., Boisson C., Houwing M.E., Gerritsma J., Teske E., Renoux C., Riedl J., Schutgens R.E.G., Bartels M., Nur E., Joly P., Fort R., Cnossen M.H., van Wijk R., Connes P., van Beers E.J., and Sheehan V.A. Oxygen gradient ektacytometry derived-biomarkers are associated with vaso-occlusive crises and correlate with treatment response in sickle cell disease. American Journal of Hematology 2021 Jan;96(1):E29-E32.
Moura P.L, Hawley B.R, Dobbe J.G.G, Streekstra G.J, Minke Rab, Bianchi P, van Wijk R, Toye A.M, Satchwell T.J. PIEZO1 gain-of-function mutations delay reticulocyte maturation in hereditary xerocytosis. Haematologica. 2020 Jun;105(6):e268-e271.
Minke Rab, van Oirschot, B.A., Bos J., Merkx T.H., van Wesel A.C.W., Abdulmalik O., Safo M.K., Versluijs A.B., Houwing M.E., Cnossen M.H., Riedl J., Schutgens R.E.G., Pasterkamp G., Bartels M., van Beers E.J., van Wijk R. Rapid and reproducible characterization of sickling during automated deoxygenation in sickle cell disease patients. Am J Hematol 2019; May;94(5):575-584.