In recent years there has been increasing awareness for the relevance of genetic predisposition in children with cancer. Cancer underlying syndromes might influence therapy choices, surveillance policies and counseling of relatives. Identifying genetic predisposition also answers a question many parents ask: “Why did my child develop cancer, did I do something wrong?’’ Syndromes predisposing to pediatric cancer are numerous and often challenging to recognize.

My research is focused on improving recognition of childhood cancer predisposition by detecting mutations in known and novel cancer predisposing genes. In the coming years we will compare the efficiency of clinically driven recognition of cancer predisposition among all newly diagnosed Dutch children with cancer with standardized sequencing of all childhood cancer predisposition genes (PrediCT study, co-led by Roland Kuiper and Hans Merks). In parallel, together with Prof. Martha Grootenhuis and Prof. Marry van den Heuvel Eibrink, we will study parents’ understanding and experiences concerning genomic sequencing to ultimately delineate the best genetic testing approach in a pediatric cancer setting.

I also initiate and contribute to studies improving care for children with cancer predisposition. This consists of development and evaluation of surveillance protocols at a European level, improving cancer treatment in children with cancer predisposition and even developing modalities to prevent cancer. An example of the latter is a project on developing dendritic cell vaccines to prevent cancer in children with Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency in collaboration with Prof Jolanda de Vries, translational tumorimmunology, RadboudUMC.

Being appointed associate professor within the Child Health Program is an extra boost for my ambitions in the clinic and in research, for which I am grateful. Because of the broad range of relevant topics to be studied regarding childhood cancer predisposition, the diversity of clinical conditions these children present with and the wide range of scientific knowledge required, collaboration between many professions in the Princess Máxima Center, the Wilhelmina Children's hospital and the UMC Utrecht is of utmost importance. I look forward to collaborating with many of you.