PhD Position Focused on Personalized Medicine for Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers

Cancer arises frequently from cells in the gastrointestinal (GE) tract. Among these cancers, neuroendocrine tumors and neuroendocrine carcinoma’s constitute a group of rare cancers that are often hard to treat. Although a range of therapeutic interventions is available, it remains hard to predict the optimal treatment strategy for each patient. In this project, we aim to develop personalized treatment strategies for GE cancers by leveraging the pattern of somatic mutations present in a tumor.

The tens of thousands of mutations that are detected by whole genome sequencing yield a vast amount of information on the origin and state of a cancer. The challenge is to infer from these big datasets the patterns that are of biological and clinical relevance. This can be done through analytical and statistical interrogation of the data. For example, our previous work has by this approach highlighted the relevance of chromosomal copy number aberrations in a tumor for the future course of the disease.

As a PhD student, you will develop and apply quantitative approaches to leverage whole genome sequencing data in conjunction with clinical data for the improvement of treatment strategies for GE cancers. You will work in a multidisciplinary team involving medical oncologist, bioinformaticians and pathologists.

Why the Netherlands Cancer Institute?

At the Netherlands Cancer Institute, we have a shared goal: providing the best care for every patient and every type of cancer. Quite a lot, but not impossible. Here, science and health care join forces towards innovation. We keep finding new ways to help people facing cancer on a global scale. Here we save lives, gain time and quality.