Translational Neuro-Oncology Research Group

The Translational Neuro-Oncology research group works on developing novel strategies for diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours, with a focus on communication in the tumour microenvironment. A system has been developed to quantify and characterize extracellular vesicles, that can be used for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response. The group has also identified mechanisms used by brain tumours to communicate with the tumour microenvironment, in particular the immune system. Investigations on this (mode of) communication is ongoing, with the ultimate goal to develop novel diagnostics and treatment strategies and improve patients’ outcomes.

Dr. M.L.D. Broekman has been collaborating with national and international colleagues to study outcomes of neurosurgical procedures. As the (former) founder and co-director and current visiting faculty of the Computational Neurosciences Outcomes Centre at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA, she is heading several team efforts to evaluate and improve care for neuro-oncology patients. To this aim, the Translational Neuro-Oncology research group collaborates with neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neuro-oncologists, and data-scientists, both from the Netherlands and the United States. One of the efforts includes the creation and evaluation of patient reported outcomes measures specific for brain tumour patients, but all efforts go into improving the quality of care for neurosurgical patients.

As a physician-scientist trained in law, dr. M.L.D. Broekman is committed to improve the translation of novel therapies to patients. She has been working with a team of national and international neurosurgeons and ethicists on raising awareness of ethics in neurosurgery. Key challenges of ethically sound innovation in neurosurgery have been identified and strategies to address these challenges are being worked on.

The research conducted in LUMC and Haaglanden Medisch Centrum is and has been supported by various organisations including the Dutch Cancer Foundation (KWF), NWO (Dutch Government), and the Dutch Brain Foundation (Hersenstichting).