’s-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant, Netherlands
In my research team, we aim to study the molecular causes of childhood cancer and treatment-associated second malignancies. Our vision is that by understanding the processes that cause cancer, effective preventive therapies can be developed, diagnostics improved and choice of treatment facilitated. We focus on identifying mutational processes that drive cancer development across different tissues. To achieve our goals, we combine state-of-the-art stem cell culture technology, genomics and computational analyses. Using this unique approach, we have previously demonstrated that lifelong mutation accumulation in human stem cells can in part explain why certain organs display higher cancer incidence. Moreover, we have developed a strategy to explore the origin of cancer-associated mutational signatures by applying whole-genome sequencing to genetically modified human organoids using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
Genome stability in human adult stem cells
Investigating genomic integrity in adult stem cells