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

Department of Medical Oncology at LUMC

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 (chair prof Gelderblom) consists of 2 researchlines: (1) immunology/therapy including our research laboratory led by Prof van der Burg and supported by Prof v Hall, Prof Haanen, Prof Blank and Prof Kok and (2) personalised pharmacotherapy in oncology led by Prof Gelderblom. Professor Gelderblom’s research on 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; other research in the department focuses on (eye and mucosal) melanoma (Prof Kapiteijn), immunotherapy of gynaecological cancers (prof Kroep) and research on the optimal treatment for geriatric patients (Prof Portielje) patients.

Context: Personalised treatment is one of the main items on the national research agenda, several rare tumours are NFU accredited for the LUMC and European Reference Network accredited. Oncology is one of the 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 some oncological projects where Prof Gelderblom has a (co) leading role: DASPO. DRUP (https://drupstudy.nl/), PCM4EU (https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/cancer/europes-beating-cancer-plan-eu4health-financed-projects/projects/pcm4eu_en), PRIME-ROSE (https://www.matrix-fkb.no/en/prime-rose/project), Joint Action on Personalised Cancer Medicine (https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/cancer/europes-beating-cancer-plan-eu4health-financed-projects/projects/ja-pcm_en)

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 and he was appointed honorary member of the Dutch Society of Medical Oncology in 2018.

Last Tab ancilliary activities

Prof Gelderblom is:

• Member of national committee in defining clinical targets for oncological treatment (https://www.nvmo.org/nvmo/bestuur-en-commissies/commissie-knt/over-de-commissie-knt/)
• Member of national advisory committee on tumor diagnostic test for personalized medicine ( https://pathologie.nl/ciebod/)
• Member of the national tumor and heredity working group (https://www.vkgn.org/vkgn/overzicht-werkgroepen-en-expertisegroepen/werkgroep-tumor-en-erfelijkheidsdiagnostiek/)
• Chair of the LUMC Oncology Center (https://www.lumc.nl/patientenzorg/specialistische-centra/oncologie-centrum/voor-patienten/)
• Member of the National insured package advisory committee (  https://www.zorginstituutnederland.nl/wie-wij-zijn/commissies/adviescommissie-pakket-acp)
• Chair of the committee of expensive medication at LUMC
• Board member of the Center of Personalised Cancer Therapy (https://cpct.nl/)
• Member congress ambassadors network Leiden (https://www.leidenconventionbureau.nl/nl/waarom-leiden/ambassadeursnetwerk)
• European Journal of Cancer: endocrine, sarcoma and other rare tumours section editor (https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/european-journal-of-cancer/about/editorial-board)
• The Oncologist: Sarcoma section co-editor (https://academic.oup.com/oncolo/pages/editorial-board)
• Board member of Six Stichting (https://collectiesix.nl/)

Publications