Specialization
I am a urologic surgeon and Chair of the Department of Urology at the Amsterdam University Medical Center. From 2019 until 2026 I was the Clinical Lead of the Specialist Centre For Kidney Cancer, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. In addition, I am affiliated with the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and a Professor at University College London, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, London, UK. My interest is in urooncology with a special interest in kidney cancer, upper urinary tract cancer and testicular cancer.
I am Chair of the European Association of Urology (EAU) Renal Cancer Guideline panel, past Chair of the Genitourinary Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and member of Dutch, British and German national urological associations. I am a reviewer for European Urology, British Journal of Urology, Urology, Lancet and Lancet Oncology.
Focus of research
My clinical research interest focuses on advanced renal cell carcinoma and the combination of targeted therapy and surgery. I have been the PI of the EORTC trial 30073 SURTIME and the PI of neoadjuvant studies with immune checkpoint inhibitor combination therapy and am involved in translational research of mechanisms of immune response and resistance jointly with the Netherlands Cancer Institute and the Francis Crick Institute, London, UK. I have been steering committee member of several international phase 3 adjuvant trials in high risk renal cell carcinoma and a founding member of the International Neoadjuvant Kidney Cancer Consortium (INKCC).