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Department

Pathology

Pathology is focused on diagnosing diseases through the examination of tissues and cells. The Department of Pathology aims for innovation, state-of-the-art diagnostics, knowledge transfer, and research to improve patient care. .

About our Department

Our research

The research mission of the department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics is to optimize clinical health care by tissue-based disease classification, patient risk stratification and therapeutic response predictionThe strategy is driven by five expertise clusters.

 

 

Our research team

Head of the Department

Prof.dr. F.J. (Folkert) van Kemenade

Deputy Head of Department

Prof.dr. J.M. (Max) Kros

 

Full Professors:

Prof.dr. R. (Riccardo) Fodde

  Professor of Experimental Pathology

Prof.dr. A.B. (Adriaan) Houtsmuller

  Professor of Functional Cell Anatomy

Prof.dr. G.J.L.H. (Arno) van Leenders

  Professor of Urological Pathology

Prof.dr. P.J. (Peter) van der Spek

  Professor of Clinical Bioinformatics

Prof.dr. T. (Tokameh) Mahmoudi

  Professor Molecular Mechanisms in Disease

Prof.dr. E.J.M. (Ernst Jan) Speel

  Head of Molecular Diagnostics

 

Associate Professors:

Dr. C.H.M. (Carolien) van Deurzen

Dr. T.L.M. (Timo) ten Hagen

Dr. A.P. (Andrew) Stubbs

 

Assistant Professors:

Dr. M.E. (Martin) van Royen

Dr. A.S. (Arne) IJpma

Dr. P.H.J. (Peter) Riegman

Dr. Y. (Yunlei) Li

Dr. A.L.B. (Ann) Seynhaeve

Dr. F. (Farhan) Akram

Dr. M.P.A. (Martijn) Starmans (shared Radiology)

Dr. A.H.J. (Anton) Koning

Dr. G. (Gert Jan) Kremers

Dr. J.A. (Johan) Slotman

 

Researchers:

Dr. A. (Andrea) Sacchetti

Dr. R.J.T.S. (Robert Jan) Palstra

Dr. T.P.P (Thierry) van den Bosch

Dr. M. (Mohamadreza) Amin

 

Pathologist Researchers:

Dr. J.H. (Jan) von der Thüsen

Dr. R.M. (Rob) Verdijk

Dr. M.C. (Marian) Clahsen-van Groningen

Dr. J. (Jeffrey) Damman

Dr. M. (Michael) Doukas

Dr. K.H. (King) Lam

Dr. A.L. (Antien) Mooyaart

Dr. F.H. (Floris) Groenendijk

Dr. L. (Lindsey) Oudijk

Dr. V. (Vera) van Dis

Dr. S.A. (Sjors) Koppes

Dr. L.L. (Lucia) Rijstenberg

Dr. L. (Lotte) van der Meeren

Dr. S.L.N. (Niek) Maas

P.C. (Patricia) Ewing

M.F. (Loes) van Velthuysen

 

KMBP researchers:

Dr. H.J. (Erik Jan) Dubbink

Dr. R.W.J. (Ruud) Meijers

Dr. S.R. (Sanne) Martens

 

Research Coordinator:

Dr. R. (Remko) Hersmus

 

 

Research lines

The research mission of the department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics is to optimize clinical health care by tissue-based disease classification, patient risk stratification and therapeutic response prediction

 

 

 

scheme pathology research

 

 

Whereas strong mutual interactions obviously exist between clusters, key characteristics of the research lines within each cluster are as follows:

 

 

Logo clinical pathology

 


 

Six out of 15 clinical pathologists have established long-term research lines, in particular relating to breast, lung, neurological, ophthalmological and prostate cancer, as well as renal transplant rejection. The incentive of clinical pathology research is to directly affect patient health care by improving risk stratification, supporting clinical decision-making and predicting therapeutic response. Clinical pathology research is increasingly performed in regional scientific networks, aligning with current trends towards health care centralization and regionalization.

 

 

  

Logo computational pathology and artificial intelligence 

 

This cluster includes research lines of computational scientist PIs who are (a) focusing on tissue-slide based computational image analysis and AI to objectify and quantify microscopic features related to disease outcome in close collaboration with clinical pathologists. In addition, (b) this cluster is establishing robust bioinformatic pipelines for a variety of high-throughput molecular data sets together with molecular biologists of our department and Erasmus MC partners. Our PHANTOM (PatHology Artificial iNTelligence platfOrM) platform is closely collaborating with TU Delft amongst others within the Convergence “CanMicrobes” project and the “Organ Transplantation: making unsuitable donor organs suitable“ Flagship.  

 

 

 

Logo molecular biology


 

The department houses molecular-biological scientists with long-term research lines on (a) the cell of origin in colon carcinogenesis, tumor cell plasticity in development of metastasis, and (b) molecular mechanisms driving viral infection, latency and pathogenesis in patient-derived models. The research within this cluster is both fundamental in identifying targetable molecular players, and unravelling pathophysiological and molecular mechanisms for key events in tumorigenesis, progression, and viral infection, as well as translational to identify novel biomarkers for disease progression and therapeutic response.

 

 

 

Logo functional imaging and disease modelling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This cluster is strongly linked to the Optical Imaging Centre (OIC) and is dedicated to applying highly specialized microscopic platforms such as super-resolution and light-sheet microscopy to analyze complex (sub)cellular cell processes in relevant disease models. In addition, research lines aim to establish state-of-the-art functional analysis of individualized in vitro and in vivo disease models for studying tumor angiogenesis and viral infections, as well as develop low and medium throughput patient-derived ex vivo platforms for drug screening including using image-based read-outs. Development of new imaging modalities is typically done in close collaboration with TU Delft within the Convergence Imaging Facility and Innovation Center (CIFIC) Flagship.

 

 

 

Logo PARTS and tissue bank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from its specific research lines, the department participates in and facilitates over 200 Erasmus MC tissue-based research projects each year. The Pathology Research and Trial Service (PARTS) and Tissue bank have been specifically set up to share our highly specialized technical expertise and equipment and provide services according to ISO-accredited standards. PARTS also represents an infrastructure to acquire and implement new dedicated technical platforms to support both departmental and Erasmus MC research lines.

 

 

 

Logo research coherence

 

 

 

The clusters and research lines are characterized by the specific background expertise of individual PIs. Inherent to the pathology department is its high level of expertise among a wide range of oncological and non-oncological disease processes, which is reflected by research lines on several disease entities. Strong mutual scientific interest in specific research questions and disease models solidifies collaborations between the clusters and interdisciplinary research lines within the department. Much of the research focus areas require expert contribution from different clusters, which is a specific strength of the inclusive expertise within our department, an infrastructure, which will be further reinforced in the coming years. Apart from the intra-departmental interactions, research is typically performed within the framework of long-term collaborations with clinical departments as well as the other Diagnostics & Advice theme departments with shared PhDs and postdocs.

 

 

 

Clinical and Translational Research Program of Genito Urinary Medical Oncology

This research group initiates and collaborates in investigator, as well as Industry initiated and sponsored phase 1-3 clinical trials, as well as translational research in urological cancers.

De Maat Lab

Understanding the biochemistry of haemostasis and thrombosis leads to optimal treatment of disease bleeding and thrombotic

Erasmus MC Tissue Bank

Making tissues collected for diagnostic purposes available for research following the appropriate rules and legislation, guidelines and standards.

Group Dinjens

Moleculair research

Group Fodde

The main research goal of our laboratory is the elucidation of the molecular and cellular basis of tumor initiation and progression, and the translation of these mechanisms into preventive and therapeutic intervention.

Group Houtsmuller

In vivo dynamics and reaction kinetics from nuclear process

Group Kros

Neuro-Oncology

Group Stubbs

We have developed MolDia; a secure reporting platform for molecular diagnostics. We deliver image analysis (e.g. automated hotspot detection) and to somatic variation predictions using the Galaxy platform.

Group Van Deurzen

We aim to understand breast cancer progression and treatment response by studying both cancer cells and the micro-environment.

Group Van Leenders

The research activities of the Van Leenders group generally aim at translation of novel molecular and biological insights in prostate cancer to in daily pathological health care.

Group Zwarthoff

Molecular Pathology

Gyn Pathology

Gyn Pathology

Immupathology Research Cluster

Combining knowledge and efforts to unravel various aspects of the immune response involved in the development, maintenance and resolution of disease.

Laboratory for Calcium and Bone Metabolism

The overall aim of the research group is to understand the mechanisms behind skeletal disorders and discover novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of disturbances in bone and mineral homeostasis.

PARTS

Erasmus MC Pathology Research and Trial Service (PARTS) offers support to researchers within and outside the Erasmus MC since the end of 2014, with the emphasis on cell and tissue research.

Pulmonary Oncology

Skin Cancer

We conduct research on early detection, epidemiology, treatment outcomes, quality of life and risk prediction of skin cancer

Publications

The publications of the department can be found in the Erasmus MC Research information Portal Pure

Vacancies

About our Department

About our Department