Trained as an epidemiologist, I have developed experience in the conduct, management and analyses of large population-based studies and trials. This has resulted in publications (189, see list of publications) that are generally well cited (>3500 citations, H-index=32). In the last years, my research has focused on cancer survivorship: the short- and long term physical and psychosocial consequences of cancer and its treatment.

In 2009 I started the PROFILES (Patient Reported Outcomes Following Initial treatment and Long-term Evaluation of Survivorship) registry that combines population-based cancer registry data with patient reported outcomes (www.profilesregistry.nl). PROFILES registry has collected PRO data from over 20.000 cancer patients and survivors that I share with the academic community for free. 

As I obtained my PhD in diabetes research, I developed a special interest in the role of comorbidity in cancer survivorship and the mechanisms underlying the interaction between diseases, treatments and outcomes.   

More recently my research has shifted from doing mainly longitudinal observational studies to conducting intervention trials. I am currently the PI of two pragmatic cluster randomized trials and two individually randomized trials. All four trials investigate the hypothesized improvement of information provision, shared decision making, and survivorship care in patients with gynaecological cancer, prostate cancer or lymphoma.  

I am currently integrating my expertise in the field of cancer survivorship with the field of biological aging by collecting biomaterials from PROFILES participants. I want to understand why some cancer patients survive in relatively good health, while others develop numerous health problems after cancer and its treatment.