J. (Jan) Groen, PhD

I am appointed as a physician at the Department of Urology of Erasmus MC since 1991. My tasks comprise patient care, education and research, all related to disorders of the lower urinary tract. Treatment of the overactive bladder syndrome, in particular by sacral neuromodulation, and urodynamic examination are important themes. Studies on these subjects have been published in international journals. I am a member of the ‘Editorial Board’ of Neurourology and Urodynamics and of the ‘Guidelines panel on Neuro-Urology’ of the European Association of Urology (EAU).

• Overactive bladder.
• Underactive bladder.
• Urinary incontinence.
• Urodynamics.
• Sacral neuromodulation.
• Neurogenic bladder.

1984 - 1991: Study of medicine, State University of Groningen.

1996: Doctoral degree on thesis Functional modelling of voiding, Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Previous studies in the lab have shown that autologous dendritic cells pulsed with allogenic tumor cell lysate was able to induce peripheral T cell activation and tumor-reactive T cell responses in patients with mesothelioma and pancreatic cancer. Current research focuses on how to initiate an effective immune response in the tumor as well as the tumor-draining lymph node using dendritic cell vaccination. Furthermore, we are studying novel approaches for (personalized) vaccination. In addition, we have identified T cell characteristics that underlie clinical efficacy of immune check inhibitors or chemotherapeutic agents in mesothelioma. The selected publications below give an impression of our work. 

• Member of several professional organisations.
• Member of the editorial board of Neurourology and Urodynamics.
• Member of the EAU Guidelines panel on Neuro-Urology.

Clinical trials and studies

Experience as a sub-investigator in several clinical trials and studies on overactive bladder, underactive bladder, bladder pain syndrome and nocturia.