Sylvie Rottey

Sylvie Rottey, MD, PhD is Professor of Oncology at Ghent University and Head of the Drug Research Unit at Ghent University Hospital, where she leads one of Belgium's most active early-phase oncology clinical trial programs. As a clinical oncologist with deep expertise in phase I immuno-oncology and translational biomarker development, Dr. Rottey has served as principal investigator on numerous first-in-human and early-phase trials of checkpoint inhibitors, bispecific antibodies, and novel immune combination regimens. Her Drug Research Unit at Ghent University Hospital is a principal investigator site for international multi-center phase I trials, having enrolled patients in early-phase studies of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (including atezolizumab, durvalumab, and avelumab dose escalation studies), TIM-3 and LAG-3 checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and cellular therapy. Dr. Rottey's scientific program integrates biomarker development with early-phase clinical trial conduct, prospectively collecting paired tumor biopsies and peripheral blood samples from phase I patients to characterize pharmacodynamic markers of immune activation, T-cell expansion, and target engagement. Her translational research in genitourinary oncology, particularly bladder and renal cell carcinoma, has identified biomarkers of immunotherapy response applicable to clinical stratification. She has contributed to Belgian and European oncology regulatory and clinical trial infrastructure through leadership in EORTC Phase I working groups and the ESMO Clinical Trial Initiative.