Professor dr A.J. Gelderblom is medical oncologist and chair of the department of Medical Oncology at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). He was chair of the Dutch Organisation of Medical Oncologists (NVMO), member of the board of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) current chair of the EORTC-Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group. Furthermore he is member of the board of adolescent and young adult hospice Xenia in Leiden and the (family-) Six Foundation.

More information about Hans Gelderblom

Oncology

Despite the higher chance of cure rates, cancer is the number 1 cause of death. Systemic treatment of cancer, the area of expertise of the medical oncologist, is increasingly responsible for the higher cure rates and the higher chances of turning cancer into a chronic disease. Research in the department of Medical Oncology consists of 2 researchlines: (1) immunology/therapy including our research laboratory led by Prof van der Burg and (2) personalised pharmacotherapy in oncology led by Prof Gelderblom. Research in the personalised pharmacotherapy includes pharmacogenetics (the right medication at the right dose for the right patient), treatment directed at molecular aspects of cancer, experimental pharmacotherapy of rare tumours, such as bone-and soft tissue sarcoma, endocrine tumours and (eye) melanoma and research on the optimal treatment for adolescent young adults and geriatric (Prof Portielje) patients.

Context: Personalised treatment is one of the main items on the national research agenda, the mentioned rare tumours are NFU accredited for the LUMC and European Reference Network accredited. Oncology is one of the 3 main items on the LUMC strategic plan. Oncology in the elderly fits well with the demographic and societal developments in the Netherlands and the broad expertise of LUMC.

More information about oncological projects: DASPO.

Academic career

Professor Gelderblom successfully defended his thesis at the Erasmus University in 2001. The title of his thesis is: Pharmacological aspects of new classes of anticancer agents; inhibitors of topoisomerase I and tubulin (https://repub.eur.nl/pub/23516/). In 2010 he was appointed professor of Experimental Pharmacotherapy in Oncology at LUMC and in 2015 professor Medische Oncology. The title of his thesis was “Van massa naar maatwerk”.

Prizes and honourable appointments

Professor Gelderblom received the Marie Parijs Price in 2008 for his pharmacogenetic research in oncology.

Publications