At the Princess Máxima Center, more than 450 researchers work daily to find better treatments for children with cancer. Steps are being taken to achieve the mission and there is much appreciation for the work. These past weeks, as many as six researchers received a special award.
Customized personalized medication
Marlinde Schoonbeek is researching how to predict which drug will work best in children with solid tumors before treatment starts. For her innovative work, she received the Innovation 4 Health Young Academic Innovator Award. Schoonbeek, a PhD student in the Molenaar Group, brings together a child's tumor cells with different drugs in the lab: 'With this approach, we hope to help doctors in the future to choose the best suitable treatment more quickly and in a more targeted way. Winning this prize is a very nice boost and confirmation that we are really making progress in research!'
Changes in blood after stem cell transplantation
Konradin Müskens received the Basic Science Award from the international EBMT (European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation) congress for his research on clonal hematopoiesis. The PhD student from the Belderbos group studied blood cells from children who previously underwent stem cell transplants. 'Our findings help to better understand clonal hematopoiesis, which may be important for future screening of donors and survivors,' he says. 'This award demonstrates very nicely that collaboration between basic and clinical research can lead to real progress for children with cancer.'
Encouragement for brain tumor research
Aimée du Chatinier, PhD candidate in the Hulleman Group, received the Incentive Award from the STOP brain tumors.nl Foundation. Du Chatinier developed an immune-competent mouse model for research on Diffuse Midline Gliomas (DMG), one of the most aggressive brain tumors in children. This model is now being used to develop a new combination therapy for DMG. 'It was a special moment to receive the award. This award not only gives me recognition, but also the opportunity to take my research further hopefully toward an international clinical trial.'
Safer antifungal treatment in children
Janine Nijhuis is a PhD student in the Tissing group. She won the first prize for pharmaceutical research at the EBMT congress. She studied the use of isavuconazole, an antifungal drug new to children. 'Fungal infections are dangerous in children with cancer. Our research helps doctors better use this drug in fungal treatment,' Nijhuis says. 'I was allowed to give a presentation at the congress to share our results. The award is a nice appreciation for our research.'
New insights in brain tumor surgery
Kevin Klein Gunnewiek, technical physician and PhD candidate in the Wijnen Group, won the Prof. Dr. G.P. Vooijs Award for his master's research on the use of different surgical techniques in brain tumors. For this, he compared intraoperative ultrasound with MRI. His findings work toward more precise operations in Pediatric Neurosurgery. 'This award is a huge motivation for me to continue our research to contribute to better surgical techniques for children with brain tumors.'
More accurate surgery with 3D technology
Dr. Matthijs Fitski developed a 3D technique for the preparation of kidney cancer surgery. Thanks to this technique developed by the postdoctoral researcher and technical physician in the Wijnen Group, surgeons can better locate and remove the tumor. Fitski: 'For some children, kidney-sparing surgery was too risky before, now the risks are lower because surgeons are better prepared with 3D technology. For his thesis, he won ‘The Goose Feather’ award from the Dutch Society for Pediatric Surgery. 'It felt like crowning the innovative work we do together within pediatric oncology surgery.'
Former colleague of the Wijnen Group Dr. Ceder van den Bosch also received the second prize from the Dutch Society for Pediatric Surgery for her publication on the CATERPILLAR study.