{ "title": "Patrizia Agostinis - A life investigating death", "modified_at": "2026-09-24 10:44:39", "published_at": "2026-09-24 08:52:00", "url": "https://blog.vib.be/patrizia-agostinis-a-life-investigating-death", "short_url": "http://prez.ly/RgPd", "culture": "en", "language": "EN", "subtitle": "For nearly forty years, Patrizia Agostinis has been dedicated to understanding exactly how cells regulate their own end. Her career has been incredibly rich \u2013 and in September 2026, it's time for a new chapter. Here is her story.", "slug": "patrizia-agostinis-a-life-investigating-death", "body": "
"All outstanding work, in art as well as in science, results from immense zeal applied to a great idea."
\u200b
\u200b- Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Advice for a Young Investigator

Introduction

Every minute, billions of cells throughout our bodies reach the end of their lives. Some because they have fulfilled their biological role, others because they have grown damaged beyond repair. The former is a well-regulated process called apoptosis, and it’s responsible for maintaining tissue health in adults. Death, in this case, is far from a sign of failure, and life, in many ways, depends on it. But how do cells know it’s their time to go?

For nearly forty years, Patrizia Agostinis has been dedicated to understanding exactly how cells regulate their own end. She took her first steps into the field of cellular death in 1989, at the start of her postdoctoral fellowship at KU Leuven, and established her own research group in 1993 (which later became the Laboratory of Cell Death Research and Therapy). In the years to follow, Patrizia's work would earn international recognition in the field, including the Outstanding Achievement Award from the International Cell Death Society in 2021 and the European Cell Death Organization Award, to be received in 2027.

Today, Patrizia is a group leader at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology (CCB), a full professor at KU Leuven in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and a member of the Leuven Cancer Institute. Her work spans nearly 300 scientific publications and she has guided dozens of students and early-career researchers through their own scientific journeys. Along the way, her research has received support from, among others, KU Leuven, Research Foundation Flanders, EU Horizon 2020, Foundation against Cancer, and Stand up against cancer, and she has traveled to all corners of the world to share her discoveries.

Patrizia's career has been incredibly rich – and in September 2026, \u200b it's time for a new chapter. Here, we honor Patrizia’s work and share more about her story. We are sincerely grateful to Patrizia for her generosity in sharing her memories, motivations, and reflections with us, and we are equally grateful for her dedication to scientific research.

Career timeline

\n \n
\n \n
\n \n \n
\n
\n\n
\n \n

Awards and honors

\n \n
\n \n
\n \n \n
\n
\n\n
\n \n

A life investigating death

Born in Switzerland to Italian parents, Patrizia moved to Venice as a baby. There, she lived up until she was a young adult, a time during which she found herself unsure about which road to take at university. Split between her two favorite subjects – philosophy and biology – Patrizia recalls long discussions with her parents about the indecision, weighing whether philosophy would open the door to good opportunities, or whether biology might offer more of them. “In the end, I decided to pursue biology, but on some levels, I believe the two subjects are not so different – both try to explain how different parts of our world fit together,” says Patrizia.

In 1983, Patrizia obtained her Master’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Padova. For her thesis, she focused on protein kinases, working under the supervision of Professor Enzo Pinna, who collaborated with KU Leuven Professor Wilfried Merlevede to study protein phosphatases (enzymes which remove the phosphate groups added by protein kinases). During one of Prof Wilfried Merlevede’s visits to Padova, he discussed the possibility of hosting Patrizia at KU Leuven as a way to strengthen their collaboration. “My Italian mentor suggested I go to Belgium to work in Merlevede’s lab, and I thought to myself, why not? The plan was to stay for six months, but the research was going well, so my Belgian mentor suggested I stay for a PhD. I thought it was a great idea too.”

In 1985, Patrizia officially started her PhD at KU Leuven, where she studied protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation signaling in growth factor stimulated cells. “Our research involved a great deal of biochemistry and cell biology work, and I really enjoyed it,” recalls Patrizia. “By the time I defended my PhD in 1988, it was clear to me that I wanted to pursue a career in academia, but I also realized I wanted to work on a different topic; something that felt more mine. Belgium offered me a lot of possibilities and opportunities in science, so in the end, I decided to stay.”

During the 1980s, Belgium significantly invested in life sciences research. In 1987, the Belgian government launched a program called the Interuniversity Attraction Poles (IAP) to organize Belgian basic research teams into a single network to increase their joint contribution to science. It was also during this period, in 1989, that Patrizia started her postdoctoral fellowship as an FWO fellow, where she continued working with her Belgian mentor. As part of the IAP, Merlevede’s group was working with researchers of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Ghent University (now the VIB Center for Inflammation Research; IRC) led by Prof Walter Fiers, who pioneered the field of microbiology and inflammation. Patrizia soon began collaborating with the teams of Ghent University Prof Peter Vandenabeele and Prof Wim Declercq, and discovered her passion for the field of cell death. “As I learned more and more about cell death, I became more and more interested in the topic and realized it was what I wanted to investigate in the long run,” she says. “At that time, that line of research hadn't been established in Leuven either, so it felt like a great opportunity to build something of my own by bringing it here.”

And so it was. Supported by FWO and KU Leuven, Patrizia established her own laboratory in 1993 to investigate apoptosis at KU Leuven. From the very start, the lab focused on investigating cell death in the context of skin carcinogenesis and cancer therapy using a naturally occurring photosensitizer, hypericin, whose anticancer effects she explored with Prof Peter de Witte, who would later become her husband.

The group’s first study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, dissected the pathways through which photodynamic therapy (a therapy which uses a drug activated by light to generate a large amount of oxidative stress) triggers death in cancer cells. “It was the work of my first ever PhD student,” says Patrizia. “Our group was still quite small and it was the first time a project successfully came together from beginning to end – it was an exciting moment for all of us. At that time, the journal was considered quite prestigious in our field, and publishing our first paper there gave us a real sense that we were growing together.”

As a junior group leader, Patrizia also continued nurturing her connections with the group of Prof Peter Vandenabeele, who was making exceptional discoveries about tumor necrosis factor (a chemical messenger produced by the immune system that induces inflammation). “Working with Peter’s group from the start was also really good for us as a lab, because it opened our minds to new ideas and perspectives,” says Patrizia. “While we could look at a given problem one way, they would sometimes see it differently, and in the end, we’d come up with ideas neither of us would have come up with alone. That dynamic really helped us grow, and it’s why I love working with other scientists so much.”

In the years that followed, the group’s research significantly evolved, as the team began exploring new ideas and developing their own expertise. Projects began branching out from the lab’s central theme of apoptosis, akin to the growing canopy of a tree. “We have always gone where the data takes us, and that approach has led us to unexpected places,” says Patrizia. “Our initial focus was mainly apoptosis, but as we dug deeper, we realized that cell death is not the end of the story. A dying cancer cell also communicates with the immune system, and that realization led us to start looking beyond the cancer cell itself and into its environment too. We began exploring the concept of immunogenic cell death, and we eventually discovered how to turn cancer cell death into a vaccine that alerts immune cells against the tumor.” The lab also began studying how organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum, the mitochondria, and lysosomes coordinate stress signals during cell death, and how autophagy (a cellular recycling pathway) changes the tumor environment. More recently, they have focused on ferroptosis (an iron-driven form of cell death), looking at organelle metabolism as a key regulator of how (and whether) cancer cells die.

\n \n
\n \n
\n \n \n
\n
\n\n
A visual representation of Patrizia’s lab research themes and their interconnections (vascular autophagy, immunogenic cell death, ferroptosis and drug-tolerance, metabolic control of cell death, ER-mitochondria contacts in cell death and immunometabolism)
\n \n

With such a diverse range of topics, one might worry that some focus will be lost between projects, something which Patrizia has always had a different perspective on. “Indeed, focusing deeply on one topic can be powerful,” she says.

“But I believe that the willingness to be ‘crosspollinated’ by other themes and disciplines is not only very intellectually stimulating, but it also leads to more discoveries – we can always learn from each other’s expertise. It’s the type of exposure that makes young scientists more flexible, critical thinkers, and my hope has always been that my students experience it as something positive and inspiring.”

With the increasing diversification of research lines, the need to expand the group’s collaboration network grew. While maintaining the long-standing collaborations with the teams in Ghent and with various colleagues within her department at KU Leuven – the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine – Patrizia’s team began working within inter-departmental research consortia to explore the inter-organelle driven metabolic connections between neurodegeneration and cancer with Prof Peter Vangheluwe, Prof Wim Annaert, and Prof Johan Swinnen.

Collaborations with VIB research groups also grew stronger and more frequent at both IRC and CCB. “CCB was first established in 2017, and Chris Marine and Diether Lambrechts were appointed science directors,” Patrizia says. “Around that time, Chris reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in joining the center. I knew that VIB had a strong interdisciplinarity strategy, something which I have always valued, and so that approach, adding to the fact that I was already well connected to other VIB groups, gave me a lot of motivation to join.” In 2019, the Laboratory of Cell Death Research and Therapy officially became part of VIB. “After that, our tree began growing more branches and our projects diversified even more. We let our curiosity lead the way, so to speak, and that resulted in a very stimulating and productive period.”

Indeed, projects have been successfully taking off in the past few years, and having to wrap them up, Patrizia says, feels like abruptly hitting the brakes on a very fast-moving train. “We’ve been generating a lot of new, relevant data and using technology that allows us to study cancer in ways that simply were not possible twenty years ago. But at this stage of my career, stepping aside is the natural step. It’s important to be there to guide the younger generation, but to also know when it is time to let go and let them be the ones moving things forward. It’s rather bittersweet, too, because mentoring my students has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this job. I’ve really enjoyed teaching them how to think critically and how to deal with the imperfections of research. You learn a lot from failure and I’ve always tried to nurture that understanding within the group. A PhD, for example, comes with many frustrations, and it progresses like the growth of a tree – unevenly. And so you have to adapt, sometimes change direction, sometimes rethink your approach. Those tougher periods call for constant communication and regular discussions. It can be difficult, but we always learn a lot from those situations. And, in the end, it’s the nature of research.”

Patrizia’s approach to mentorship was influenced by her own experience as a young researcher, and particularly by the example set by her Belgian mentor Prof Wilfried Merlevede. “Beyond being an excellent scientist, I really admired his human qualities and the way he stayed connected with everyone in the lab. He always had time for people. He liked talking with everyone – students, technicians, and collaborators alike. At that time, we didn’t have many of the activities we have now, like team-building activities and retreats, but his presence alone created a strong sense of community in the group. It meant a lot to all of us. He was truly a very warm and kind person, and he showed me that it’s possible to build a good, stimulating environment while being open and approachable.”

As her final days at VIB and KU Leuven approach, Patrizia is not rushing to decide what comes next. Science will likely keep her busy well into 2027, with the last few papers to wrap up and revise, and the last few conferences to attend. Beyond that, she chooses to leave her options open and create space for the unexpected.

Perhaps she will venture into the philosophy of science. Perhaps she will draw and invest in interests she rarely had the time to pursue. “It is hard for me to say now what comes next,” says Patrizia. “I haven’t had the time to think about it – or maybe I have not wanted to think about it at all. I do know, however, that besides spending more time with my adorable grandchildren and family, I will want to make space for the unexplored and live my life at a different rhythm from now on.” And whatever this next chapter brings, she looks back on the one that came before it with much appreciation. “I’m grateful for everyone I have worked with and for all that we have done. It’s been a great run.”

For over thirty years, Patrizia has traveled the world to share her discoveries and guided many students and early-career researchers through their own scientific journeys. Financially supported by many different institutions, her nearly 300 scientific publications have earned her international recognition in the field, epitomized by the European Cell Death Organization Award. She has had an incredibly rich career, and will retire with many memories and accomplishments to look back on, which we will also fondly remember for many years to come. “I’m happy about all the contributions we’ve made to the field, however big or small, and it has been especially rewarding to guide the young generation of scientists. Seeing them grow, publish their work, and then move on to new chapters has made me profoundly happy. Passing down the enthusiasm for scientific curiosity and discovery to them, I feel has been the most rewarding aspect of my job. My interaction with them, with my lab members, and with my collaborators is something I will miss a lot.”

Dear Patrizia, thank you for your openness, and congratulations on all that you have accomplished. We wish you a joyful retirement and an incredible new chapter in your life.

\n
\"Maria
\n
\n Maria Zacarias\n CCB Communciations Officer\n \n
\n

 

", "header": { "large": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/f10ee289-9256-4fc1-8383-f1af679e5c25/-/crop/5605x3747/0,1304/-/preview/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/", "release": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/f10ee289-9256-4fc1-8383-f1af679e5c25/-/crop/5605x3747/0,1304/-/preview/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/" }, "images": [ { "caption": "", "original": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1f97f031-7a97-4c2a-97b1-902ce6304b9e/-/crop/4571x5135/0,561/-/preview/", "medium": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1f97f031-7a97-4c2a-97b1-902ce6304b9e/-/crop/4571x5135/0,561/-/preview/-/preview/500x500/-/format/auto/", "small": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1f97f031-7a97-4c2a-97b1-902ce6304b9e/-/crop/4571x5135/0,561/-/preview/-/preview/200x200/-/format/auto/", "thumbnail": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1f97f031-7a97-4c2a-97b1-902ce6304b9e/-/crop/4571x5135/0,561/-/preview/-/preview/100x100/-/format/auto/", "square": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1f97f031-7a97-4c2a-97b1-902ce6304b9e/-/crop/4571x5135/0,561/-/preview/-/scale_crop/200x200/center/-/format/auto/", "squaresmall": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1f97f031-7a97-4c2a-97b1-902ce6304b9e/-/crop/4571x5135/0,561/-/preview/-/scale_crop/58x58/center/-/format/auto/" }, { "caption": "", "original": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/26f53a68-ef05-4254-9076-3565d6b91101/-/crop/4571x3968/0,719/-/preview/", "medium": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/26f53a68-ef05-4254-9076-3565d6b91101/-/crop/4571x3968/0,719/-/preview/-/preview/500x500/-/format/auto/", "small": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/26f53a68-ef05-4254-9076-3565d6b91101/-/crop/4571x3968/0,719/-/preview/-/preview/200x200/-/format/auto/", "thumbnail": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/26f53a68-ef05-4254-9076-3565d6b91101/-/crop/4571x3968/0,719/-/preview/-/preview/100x100/-/format/auto/", "square": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/26f53a68-ef05-4254-9076-3565d6b91101/-/crop/4571x3968/0,719/-/preview/-/scale_crop/200x200/center/-/format/auto/", "squaresmall": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/26f53a68-ef05-4254-9076-3565d6b91101/-/crop/4571x3968/0,719/-/preview/-/scale_crop/58x58/center/-/format/auto/" }, { "caption": "A visual representation of Patrizia\u2019s lab research themes and their interconnections (vascular autophagy, immunogenic cell death, ferroptosis and drug-tolerance, metabolic control of cell death, ER-mitochondria contacts in cell death and immunometabolism)", "original": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/87057672-a1b0-46c8-a075-b2546737499d/", "medium": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/87057672-a1b0-46c8-a075-b2546737499d/-/preview/500x500/-/format/auto/", "small": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/87057672-a1b0-46c8-a075-b2546737499d/-/preview/200x200/-/format/auto/", "thumbnail": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/87057672-a1b0-46c8-a075-b2546737499d/-/preview/100x100/-/format/auto/", "square": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/87057672-a1b0-46c8-a075-b2546737499d/-/scale_crop/200x200/center/-/format/auto/", "squaresmall": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/87057672-a1b0-46c8-a075-b2546737499d/-/scale_crop/58x58/center/-/format/auto/" } ], "contacts": [ { "name": "Maria Zacarias", "company": null, "description": "CCB Communciations Officer", "email": "maria.zacarias@vib.be", "website": null, "address": null, "telephone": null, "mobile": null, "twitter": null, "facebook": null, "linkedin": null, "instagram": null } ], "tags": [ "VIB-KU Leuven Center For Cancer Biology" ], "author": { "first_name": "Gunnar", "last_name": "De Winter" }, "format_version": 5 }