As Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgeon, Associate Professor and principal investigator at Amsterdam UMC, my research focuses on Surgical Tumorbiology: understanding tumor biology in the context of surgical treatment and translating this knowledge into more precise, personalized and effective cancer care. 

My research is centered on cancers of the liver, pancreas and biliary tract, as well as colorectal liver metastases. I am particularly interested in how tumor biology influences tumor progression, treatment response, recurrence and resectability, and how biological information can be integrated with advanced imaging, biomarkers and innovative surgical techniques to improve clinical decision-making. 

A major focus of my work has been the development and clinical translation of molecularly targeted imaging, such as PET and Fluorescence, for detection and intraoperative guidance in cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder and pancreatic cancer surgery. This work aims to bridge the gap between molecular characteristics of tumors and their real-time visualization during surgery. In collaboration with different research groups within Cancer Center Amsterdam and ADORE, research has increasingly expanded towards the use of circulating tumor DNA, RNA transcriptomics, CRISPR/Cas9, and imaging-based quantitative assessment of total tumor burden to better predict treatment response, recurrence and improve treatment efficacy in patients with colorectal liver metastases. In parallel, I investigate how advances in minimally invasive robotic liver surgery, and combinations with tumor ablation can be translated into innovative hybrid operating rooms. 

The overarching aim is to bring hepatobiliary surgical oncology beyond anatomy towards biology-driven decision-making: to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from surgery or local cancer treatment, that are then challenged with targeted, minimally-invasive interventions. 

Education and integration of research and clinical practice

As Program Director of the Master Oncology at Amsterdam UMC, VU Amsterdam, I am committed to integrating education with my research and clinical activities. A central goal is to bring together future molecular biologists, translational researchers and cancer clinicians, fostering a shared understanding of tumor biology and its clinical implications. I aim to educate the next generation of oncology professionals to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries.