Research Interests
Breast cancer development and progression; prevention and treatment of breast tumors; therapy response and resistance; mouse models; BRCA1/2-associated breast cancer and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC); patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models.
Current Affiliations
Senior investigator, Oncode Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands; professor, molecular experimental oncogenetics and cancer therapeutics, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands; managing director, The Mouse Clinic for Cancer and Aging research (MCCA), Amsterdam, Netherlands; senior group leader, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Previous Positions
Head (2012-2021), and junior group leader (assistant professor) (2003-2008), Division of Molecular Pathology; group leader (associate professor) and permanent staff member, Division of Molecular Biology, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Education
MSc, molecular sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands (1989); PhD, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands (1999).
Postdoctoral Training
Postdoctoral fellow, the Netherlands Cancer Institute (2002), Amsterdam, Netherlands; senior research associate, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (2002), Hinxton, United Kingdom.
Selected AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Member, Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Cancer Research Committee (2023-2024); member, AACR Publications Committee (2021-2024); conference cochair, AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: The Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling (2020); member, AACR-Waun Ki Hong Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research (2019-2021); member, AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research Committee (2018-2020); cochair, Annual Meeting Program Committee (2017-2018); member, Editorial Board, AACR Journal, Cancer Research (2016-2019); chair, AACR Basic Cancer Research Fellowships Scientific Review Committee (2016-2017); member, Annual Meeting Education Committee (2013-2014); member, Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Grants for Translational Cancer Research Committee (2013-2014); member, Editorial Board, AACR Journal, Molecular Cancer Research (2013-present).
Selected Non-AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Member, Editorial Board, Cancers (2020-present); member, Advisory Board of Frame Cancer Therapeutics (2019-present); member, Scientific Advisory Board, CRUK Beatson Institute (2018-present); recipient, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) 2018 Laura Ziskin Prize in Translational Research (2018); recipient, Senior Investigator grant (1.25 M€) by the Oncode Institute (2018); member, Scientific Advisory Board of Artios Pharma (2017-2020); scientific director, European Consortium of PDX models (EuroPDX) (2017-present); recipient, Grand Challenge Grant (17.3 M€) by Cancer Research UK (co-PI) (2017); member, Scientific Advisory Board, Newcastle University CRUK Drug Discovery Program (2016-present); vice chair, Dutch Cancer Society (KWF) Basic Science Committee (2016-2018); member, Board of Directors, European Consortium of PDX models (EuroPDX) (2014-present); recipient, ERC Synergy Grant (14.6 M€) by the European Research Council (co-PI) (2013); recipient, Roadmap Grant (18.1 M€) by NWO to establish a Mouse Clinic for Cancer and Aging research (MCCA) (2012); elected member, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) (2012); member, Editorial Board, Cancer Medicine (2012-present); member, Editorial Board, The Journal of Pathology (2012-present); chair, Scientific Advisory Board, Ludwig Boltzmann Oncology Clusters (2011-2016); member, Editorial Board, Drug Resistance Updates (2010-present); member, Association for International Cancer Research (AICR) Scientific Advisory Committee (2007-2011); founding member of the European Network of Breast Development and Cancer (ENBDC) (2007-present); recipient, VIDI grant (600 K€) by NWO (2002); recipient, Genomics Fellowship by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) (2002).