Jaap Boelens, MD
I am Jaap Jan Boelens, a pediatrician – Oncologist / Immunologist working as consultant in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) at the UMC Utrecht since 2006. I am having a special interest in rare-diseases (as indication for HCT) in particular “lysosomal storage diseases” and finding strategies to get better disease control (in malignant diseases). My research lab (with Stefan Nierkens as co-PI) focuses on the development of cord blood-derived dendritic cell vaccines (anti-AML, anti-Neuroblastoma). In addition, there is a special interest designing predictable low toxic conditioning regimens using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic-models (e.g. ATG; anti-thymocyte globuline) focussing on better predictable immune-reconstitution (nessasary for optimal effect vaccines): www.tumor-immunology-utrecht.nl 4 PostDocs, 7 PhD students and 2 technicians are currently working in my group. We work closely together with the Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology as well as with the VOKK (Vereniging voor Kinderen en Kanker). They are involved in study protocol development and patient information video animations: e.g. https://youtu.be/iPoSKA2jTOo and https://youtu.be/ly1zIyQbWz0 These videos also gives you an idea on the main projects we are working.