Jacco van Rheenen, PhD
Professor and Principal Investigator
Netherlands Cancer Institute and Oncode Institute
Amsterdam, NLThe van Rheenen group studies the identity, behavior, and fate of cells that drive the initiation and progression of cancer. These populations of cells are rare, and their behavior (e.g. migration) and traits (e.g. stemness) change over time. To study these dangerous cells, we have developed microscopy techniques to visualize individual cells in real-time in whole bodies, often referred to as intravital microscopy. By these techniques, we revealed multiple important factors within the single cell heterogeneity that are crucial in the processes of tissue homeostasis, tumor initiation and tumor progression.
In 2008 he was appointed as group leader at the Hubrecht Institute. In July 2014 he was appointed professor in Intravital Microscopy at the University Medical Center Utrecht. In October 2017 he became senior group leader at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) and the Oncode Institute. In 2009, he was awarded a VIDI award from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). In 2013, he received the Stem Cells Young Investigator Award. In 2015, he was awarded an ERC consolidator grant, in 2017 the Dr. Josef Steiner Cancer Research Foundation Award, and in 2019 the Ammodo Science Award. In 2023, he received a VICI award fr0m NWO.
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