Co-PI dr. André van Kuilenburg, laboratory Genetic Metabolic Disease, AMC
Neuroblastoma tumor cells excrete catecholamine metabolites that can be detected in urine. These metabolites are used to diagnose neuroblastoma and to monitor disease activity during therapy. Our studies focus on finding the most optimal use for urinary catecholamines in the diagnostic process together with other diagnostic tools. We further study how urinary catecholamine metabolites relate to disease outcomes and want to find better ways stratify patients into risk groups. Moreover, by analyzing urinary excretion patterns and comparing this with molecular data and genetic profiles, we aim to deepen our understanding of tumor biology that hopefully leads to finding more treatment targets. Taken together, our projects are translational in nature and aim to bring laboratory data to the clinic, thereby improving diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of neuroblastoma.