diff --git a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.html b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.html
index 1771f3d2bc..ec4dbd4323 100644
--- a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.html
+++ b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.html
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 <ng-template #descTemplate>
   <span class="text-muted">
       <span class="item-list-job-title">
-        <span [innerHTML]="metadataRepresentation.firstMetadataValue(['dc.description'])"></span>
+        <span [innerHTML]="mdRepresentation.firstMetadataValue(['dc.description'])"></span>
       </span>
   </span>
 </ng-template>
-<ds-truncatable [id]="metadataRepresentation.id">
+<ds-truncatable [id]="mdRepresentation.id">
   <a [routerLink]="[itemPageRoute]"
-     [innerHTML]="metadataRepresentation.getValue()"
-     [ngbTooltip]="metadataRepresentation.allMetadata(['dc.description']).length > 0 ? descTemplate : null"></a>
+     [innerHTML]="mdRepresentation.getValue()"
+     [ngbTooltip]="mdRepresentation.allMetadata(['dc.description']).length > 0 ? descTemplate : null"></a>
 </ds-truncatable>
diff --git a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
index eff6fd0b31..429f2986b9 100644
--- a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/org-unit/org-unit-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ describe('OrgUnitItemMetadataListElementComponent', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(OrgUnitItemMetadataListElementComponent);
     comp = fixture.componentInstance;
-    comp.metadataRepresentation = mockItemMetadataRepresentation;
+    comp.mdRepresentation = mockItemMetadataRepresentation;
     fixture.detectChanges();
   });
 
diff --git a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.html b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.html
index 97632117f4..6f56056781 100644
--- a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.html
+++ b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.html
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 <ng-template #descTemplate>
   <span class="text-muted">
-      <span *ngIf="metadataRepresentation.allMetadata(['person.jobTitle']).length > 0"
+      <span *ngIf="mdRepresentation.allMetadata(['person.jobTitle']).length > 0"
             class="item-list-job-title">
-              <span *ngFor="let value of metadataRepresentation.allMetadataValues(['person.jobTitle']); let last=last;">
+              <span *ngFor="let value of mdRepresentation.allMetadataValues(['person.jobTitle']); let last=last;">
                   <span [innerHTML]="value"><span [innerHTML]="value"></span></span>
               </span>
       </span>
   </span>
 </ng-template>
-<ds-truncatable [id]="metadataRepresentation.id">
+<ds-truncatable [id]="mdRepresentation.id">
   <a [routerLink]="[itemPageRoute]"
-     [innerHTML]="metadataRepresentation.getValue()"
-     [ngbTooltip]="metadataRepresentation.allMetadata(['person.jobTitle']).length > 0 ? descTemplate : null"></a>
+     [innerHTML]="mdRepresentation.getValue()"
+     [ngbTooltip]="mdRepresentation.allMetadata(['person.jobTitle']).length > 0 ? descTemplate : null"></a>
 </ds-truncatable>
diff --git a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
index ab801826d6..865c262035 100644
--- a/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/entity-groups/research-entities/metadata-representations/person/person-item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe('PersonItemMetadataListElementComponent', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(PersonItemMetadataListElementComponent);
     comp = fixture.componentInstance;
-    comp.metadataRepresentation = mockItemMetadataRepresentation;
+    comp.mdRepresentation = mockItemMetadataRepresentation;
     fixture.detectChanges();
   });
 
diff --git a/src/app/shared/metadata-representation/metadata-representation-loader.component.ts b/src/app/shared/metadata-representation/metadata-representation-loader.component.ts
index 7077949809..42ee093278 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/metadata-representation/metadata-representation-loader.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/metadata-representation/metadata-representation-loader.component.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Component, ComponentFactoryResolver, Inject, Input, OnInit, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, ComponentFactoryResolver, Inject, Input, OnInit, ViewChild, OnChanges, SimpleChanges, ComponentRef, ViewContainerRef, ComponentFactory } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   MetadataRepresentation,
   MetadataRepresentationType
@@ -8,19 +8,17 @@ import { Context } from '../../core/shared/context.model';
 import { GenericConstructor } from '../../core/shared/generic-constructor';
 import { MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent } from '../object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/metadata-representation-list-element.component';
 import { MetadataRepresentationDirective } from './metadata-representation.directive';
-import { hasValue } from '../empty.util';
+import { hasValue, isNotEmpty, hasNoValue } from '../empty.util';
 import { ThemeService } from '../theme-support/theme.service';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-metadata-representation-loader',
-  // styleUrls: ['./metadata-representation-loader.component.scss'],
   templateUrl: './metadata-representation-loader.component.html'
 })
 /**
  * Component for determining what component to use depending on the item's entity type (dspace.entity.type), its metadata representation and, optionally, its context
  */
-export class MetadataRepresentationLoaderComponent implements OnInit {
-  private componentRefInstance: MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent;
+export class MetadataRepresentationLoaderComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges {
 
   /**
    * The item or metadata to determine the component for
@@ -31,8 +29,8 @@ export class MetadataRepresentationLoaderComponent implements OnInit {
   }
   @Input() set mdRepresentation(nextValue: MetadataRepresentation) {
     this._mdRepresentation = nextValue;
-    if (hasValue(this.componentRefInstance)) {
-      this.componentRefInstance.metadataRepresentation = nextValue;
+    if (hasValue(this.compRef?.instance)) {
+      this.compRef.instance.mdRepresentation = nextValue;
     }
   }
 
@@ -46,6 +44,16 @@ export class MetadataRepresentationLoaderComponent implements OnInit {
    */
   @ViewChild(MetadataRepresentationDirective, {static: true}) mdRepDirective: MetadataRepresentationDirective;
 
+  /**
+   * The reference to the dynamic component
+   */
+  protected compRef: ComponentRef<MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent>;
+
+  protected inAndOutputNames: (keyof this)[] = [
+    'context',
+    'mdRepresentation',
+  ];
+
   constructor(
     private componentFactoryResolver: ComponentFactoryResolver,
     private themeService: ThemeService,
@@ -57,14 +65,41 @@ export class MetadataRepresentationLoaderComponent implements OnInit {
    * Set up the dynamic child component
    */
   ngOnInit(): void {
-    const componentFactory = this.componentFactoryResolver.resolveComponentFactory(this.getComponent());
+    this.instantiateComponent();
+  }
 
-    const viewContainerRef = this.mdRepDirective.viewContainerRef;
+  /**
+   * Whenever the inputs change, update the inputs of the dynamic component
+   */
+  ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges): void {
+    if (hasNoValue(this.compRef)) {
+      // sometimes the component has not been initialized yet, so it first needs to be initialized
+      // before being called again
+      this.instantiateComponent(changes);
+    } else {
+      // if an input or output has changed
+      if (this.inAndOutputNames.some((name: any) => hasValue(changes[name]))) {
+        this.connectInputsAndOutputs();
+        if (this.compRef?.instance && 'ngOnChanges' in this.compRef.instance) {
+          (this.compRef.instance as any).ngOnChanges(changes);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private instantiateComponent(changes?: SimpleChanges): void {
+    const componentFactory: ComponentFactory<MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent> = this.componentFactoryResolver.resolveComponentFactory(this.getComponent());
+
+    const viewContainerRef: ViewContainerRef = this.mdRepDirective.viewContainerRef;
     viewContainerRef.clear();
 
-    const componentRef = viewContainerRef.createComponent(componentFactory);
-    this.componentRefInstance = componentRef.instance as MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent;
-    this.componentRefInstance.metadataRepresentation = this.mdRepresentation;
+    this.compRef = viewContainerRef.createComponent(componentFactory);
+
+    if (hasValue(changes)) {
+      this.ngOnChanges(changes);
+    } else {
+      this.connectInputsAndOutputs();
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -74,4 +109,16 @@ export class MetadataRepresentationLoaderComponent implements OnInit {
   private getComponent(): GenericConstructor<MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent> {
     return this.getMetadataRepresentationComponent(this.mdRepresentation.itemType, this.mdRepresentation.representationType, this.context, this.themeService.getThemeName());
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Connect the in and outputs of this component to the dynamic component,
+   * to ensure they're in sync
+   */
+  protected connectInputsAndOutputs(): void {
+    if (isNotEmpty(this.inAndOutputNames) && hasValue(this.compRef) && hasValue(this.compRef.instance)) {
+      this.inAndOutputNames.filter((name: any) => this[name] !== undefined).forEach((name: any) => {
+        this.compRef.instance[name] = this[name];
+      });
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.html b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.html
index 91219c7189..904ea95c20 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.html
@@ -1 +1 @@
-<ds-listable-object-component-loader [object]="metadataRepresentation" [viewMode]="viewMode"></ds-listable-object-component-loader>
+<ds-listable-object-component-loader [object]="mdRepresentation" [viewMode]="viewMode"></ds-listable-object-component-loader>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
index 6e48ba3a6f..99052b6b14 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('ItemMetadataListElementComponent', () => {
   beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(ItemMetadataListElementComponent);
     comp = fixture.componentInstance;
-    comp.metadataRepresentation = mockItemMetadataRepresentation;
+    comp.mdRepresentation = mockItemMetadataRepresentation;
     fixture.detectChanges();
   }));
 
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts
index 967b09986d..c4a6903129 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/item/item-metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent } from '../metadata-representation-list-element.component';
-import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, OnInit, Input } from '@angular/core';
 import { ItemMetadataRepresentation } from '../../../../core/shared/metadata-representation/item/item-metadata-representation.model';
 import { getItemPageRoute } from '../../../../item-page/item-page-routing-paths';
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { getItemPageRoute } from '../../../../item-page/item-page-routing-paths'
  * An abstract class for displaying a single ItemMetadataRepresentation
  */
 export class ItemMetadataRepresentationListElementComponent extends MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent implements OnInit {
-  metadataRepresentation: ItemMetadataRepresentation;
+  @Input() mdRepresentation: ItemMetadataRepresentation;
 
   /**
    * Route to the item's page
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@ export class ItemMetadataRepresentationListElementComponent extends MetadataRepr
   itemPageRoute: string;
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
-    this.itemPageRoute = getItemPageRoute(this.metadataRepresentation);
+    this.itemPageRoute = getItemPageRoute(this.mdRepresentation);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts
index 2e14485fbb..b13dd60601 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/metadata-representation-list-element.component.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { Component } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, Input } from '@angular/core';
 import { MetadataRepresentation } from '../../../core/shared/metadata-representation/metadata-representation.model';
+import { Context } from '../../../core/shared/context.model';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-metadata-representation-list-element',
@@ -9,8 +10,13 @@ import { MetadataRepresentation } from '../../../core/shared/metadata-representa
  * An abstract class for displaying a single MetadataRepresentation
  */
 export class MetadataRepresentationListElementComponent {
+  /**
+   * The optional context
+   */
+  @Input() context: Context;
+
   /**
    * The metadata representation of this component
    */
-  metadataRepresentation: MetadataRepresentation;
+  @Input() mdRepresentation: MetadataRepresentation;
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.html b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.html
index 31b670b1a3..cd199836b6 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.html
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 <div>
-  <span class="dont-break-out">{{metadataRepresentation.getValue()}}</span>
+  <span class="dont-break-out">{{mdRepresentation.getValue()}}</span>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
index af09d3c204..39ee54c32b 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/metadata-representation-list-element/plain-text/plain-text-metadata-list-element.component.spec.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ describe('PlainTextMetadataListElementComponent', () => {
   beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(PlainTextMetadataListElementComponent);
     comp = fixture.componentInstance;
-    comp.metadataRepresentation = mockMetadataRepresentation;
+    comp.mdRepresentation = mockMetadataRepresentation;
     fixture.detectChanges();
   }));