P.J.M. (Peter) Valk, PhD

Peter J.M. Valk is Associate Professor and Head of the Hemato-oncology laboratory (cytology and molecular diagnostics – reference laboratory in HOVON-AMLSG-UK clinical trials). In the past 20 years my research has concentrated on the comprehensive molecular analyses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with the aim to reveal novel molecular markers to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of AML patients (precision medicine) as well as our understanding of the biology of heterogeneous malignancies, such as AML. Several of these clinically relevant molecular markers were incorporated into national and international AML risk stratification recommendations.

In the past 7 years, my own research line has focused on next generation sequencing-based detection of molecular minimal residual disease (MRD) to predict an impending AML relapse. We have recently shown that the persistence of selected subsets of leukemia-specific mutations have independent prognostic impact for patients with AML.

The department of Hematology at Erasmus MC is involved in clinical and translational research aimed at the improvement of treatment and diagnosis of hematological malignancies. The department coordinates and participates in multicenter clinical trials (HOVON-SAKK) and has a major focus on the delineation of the biology of hematologic malignancies and the development of molecular diagnostics for these diseases. The aim of these programs is to dissect the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of these conditions and translate them to clinical practice.

Dr Valk’s main interest is unraveling the molecular heterogeneity of hematologic malignancies, in particular acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using various genome-wide technologies, such as gene expression profiling, genotyping and next generation sequencing, Dr Valk revealed novel insights into the heterogeneity and biology of AML. His work has developed molecular biomarkers that are incorporated into routine risk-stratification and clinical care of AML patients. More recently Dr Valk has focused on the detection of molecular minimal residual disease in AML, clonal hematopoiesis and germline predisposition to myeloid malignancy.

Comprehensive analyses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis and during treatment using genomics to better understand AML biology, improve risk stratification and outcome of AML patients.

Dr Peter J.M. Valk received his PhD degree in 1999 at the Department of Hematology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, on the identification of novel leukemia oncogenes using retroviral mutagenesis (with Prof Dr B. Löwenberg). He worked as a research fellow awarded by the Dutch Cancer Society in the Department of Hemato-oncology at the Children’s Hospital in Boston (with Prof Stuart Orkin).

ELN-DAVID Recommendations for NGS-based FLT3-ITD MRD Testing in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Hourigan CS, Beugelink L, Othman J, Gui G, Ivey A, Dillon RJ, Thiede C, Levis MJ, Dillon LW, Wei AH, Tiong IS, Loo S, Döhner K, Arnhardt I, Kowalik A, Potter N, Kim DDH, Preudhomme C, Duployez N, Heuser M, Valk PJ.Blood. 2026 Jun 3:blood.2026033569. doi: 10.1182/blood.2026033569. Online ahead of print.PMID: 42237660

 

SOHO State of the Art Updates and Next Questions | Implementing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) in Resource-Constrained Settings: The Experience of the International Consortium on Acute Leukemias (ICAL).

de Cássia Cavaglieri R, Nardinelli L, Rijken M, Gouveia-Lima AS, Valk PJM, Traina F, Rego EM.Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2026 Jun;26(6):351-356.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2026.03.008. Epub 2026 Mar 18.PMID: 42031658 

 

MDS/AML and AML with myelodysplasia-related gene mutations: clinical and molecular similarities.

Boertjes EL, Grob T, Al Hinai A, Beverloo BHB, Versluis J, Kavelaars FG, Rijken M, Compagne KG, Erpelinck CAJ, Sanders MA, Stoetman ECG, Hanekamp D, Gradowska PL, Ossenkoppele GJ, Biemond BJ, Manz MG, Pabst T, Jongen-Lavrencic M, Löwenberg B, Valk PJM.Blood Adv. 2026 Feb 24;10(4):939-950. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025018408.PMID: 41529224

 

2025 update on MRD in acute myeloid leukemia: a consensus document from the ELN-DAVID MRD Working Party.

Cloos J, Valk PJM, Thiede C, Döhner K, Roboz GJ, Wood BL, Walter RB, Wang S, Wierzbowska A, Wei AH, Wu D, Vergez F, Venditti A, van der Reijden BA, van de Loosdrecht AA, Tiong IS, Thol FR, Subklewe M, Roumier C, Reuvekamp T, Ravandi F, Preudhomme C, Plesa A, Othman J, Ossenkoppele GJ, Ofran Y, Mimoun A, Maurillo L, Majchrzak A, de Leeuw D, Kern W, Kim DDH, Ikoma-Colturato MRV, Haaksma LH, Guzman ML, Feuring M, Depreter B, Czyz A, Bücklein V, Baer C, Bachas C, Freeman SD, Buccisano F, Hourigan CS, Dillon R, Heuser M.Blood. 2026 Mar 12;147(11):1147-1167. doi: 10.1182/blood.2025031480.PMID: 41397238

 

Utility of IDH1/2 mutations as biomarkers for detection of measurable residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia.

Boertjes EL, Vonk CM, Kavelaars FG, Engvall M, Nordin S, Beugelink L, Rijken M, Konijnenburg JML, Versluis J, Löwenberg B, Valk PJM.Blood Adv. 2025 Oct 14;9(19):4860-4869. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025016726.PMID: 40674738

 

Advantages of a genomic DNA-based next-generation sequencing assay for detection of mutant NPM1 measurable residual disease in AML.

Vonk CM, Grob T, Rijken M, Kavelaars FG, Konijnenburg JML, Ossenkoppele GJ, Manz MG, Havelange V, Fløisand Y, Löwenberg B, Valk PJM.Blood Adv. 2025 Mar 11;9(5):1069-1077. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2024014490.PMID: 3963730

 

Prognostic relevance of molecular measurable residual disease detection in AML with mutated CEBPA.

Vonk CM, Boertjes EL, Kavelaars FG, Rijken M, Konijnenburg JML, Cromwell RE, Löwenberg B, Grob T, Valk PJM.Hemasphere. 2024 Aug 15;8(8):e141. doi: 10.1002/hem3.141. eCollection 2024 Aug.PMID: 39148661 

In the past 5 years I have been actively involved in teaching second year students from the ErasmusMC (Morphology – Molecular Diagnostics) and Klinische Technologie (Molecular Diagnostics). I have been invited to give lectures in various regular, summer and winter courses (Infection & Immunity – Molecular Medicine – NIHES).

Over the years, I have had many internships from the Hoger Laboratorium Onderwijs as well as master students (Clinical Research - LUMC - VUMC). Every year I teach junior hematologists in the Netherlands in the field of molecular diagnostics of hematologic malignancies during the ‘Diagnostiekdag’ organized by the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Hematologie (NVVH). Similarly, I have given many educational lectures during the bi-annual meetings of MODHEM to members to improve the work of the (inter)national molecular diagnostic laboratories involved in the HOVON clinical trials.

In this context, I am also chairing the next generation sequencing working group within MODHEM. As chair of the ASH-ICAL I teach members of the molecular diagnostic laboratories from various Latin-American countries during ASH meetings, by ASH visitor training programs and continuously by virtual teaching/training via zoom/training videos. Over time, I have mentored PhD students, who after their PhD are still in the field of research at prominent positions.

Editorial boards: Blood [2016-2018] - Scientific advisory boards: Scientific program ASH (2018 (member), 2019 (member) and 2020 (chair) Scientific Committee on Hematopathology and Clinical Laboratory Hematology)-

Review boards: European Hematology Association (EHA) annual meetings American Society of Hematology (ASH) - Review panel member Journals: NEJM; Nature; Nature Genetics; Nature Communications; Blood; Leukemia; Cancer Discovery; Haematologica; Oncotarget; Disease Models & Mechanisms; European Journal of Cancer; American Journal of Hematology; PLoS ONE; Acta Haematologica; Leukemia and Lymphoma, among others - Grant and tenure ship reviews: Dutch Cancer Society (KWF); Leukemia & Lymphoma Research (LLR); The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund; Swiss Cancer League; São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP); National Cancer Institute of France (INCa); NHLBI – NIH among others 

Organisation of scientific meetings: Scientific program ASH (2018 (member), 2019 (member) and 2020 (chair) Scientific Committee on Hematopathology and Clinical Laboratory Hematology) Workshop on MRD detection in AML at the AACR annual meeting in San Diego (virtually) International Network for Molecular Diagnostics of Hematologic Malignancies (MODHEM) -Memberships: Board membership International Network for Molecular Diagnostics of Hematologic Malignancies (MODHEM) [2000-now] ELN-DAVID board of directors [2018-now] Membership: European Hematology Association (EHA) American Society of Hematology (ASH)

Research fellow Dutch Cancer Society ‘Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds’; Department of Hemato-/Oncology - Children’s Hospital, Boston - Supervisor: Dr. S.H. Orkin (1999-2000); American Society of Hematology Scientific Committee (member (2018-2019) and chair (2020)); American Society of Hematology International Consortium of Acute Leukemia (ASH ICAL) (chair subcommittee on laboratory and treatment guidelines (2016-now) – various KWF/ZonMW grants.

Impact

(I) The translational research focussing on the improvement of risk stratification has had an enormous impact on the treatment of patients with AML [guidelines/publications in newspapers/nu.nl]. Classification of patients has dramatically changed based on our results, and these have been incorporated in national and international guidelines (ELN-ICC).
(II) Within the American Society of Hematology International Consortium of Acute Leukemia (ASH ICAL) program I have
been able to successfully create the NGS infrastructure in molecular diagnostics of hematologic malignancies in 5 Latin-American countries (Brasil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chili and Peru)