Máxima Comprehensive Chilhood Cancer Center

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At the Máxima, our research group closely collaborates within the Princess Máxima Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Center (M4C) Liver Tumor group, represented by Research co-chair dr. Peng and Clinical co-chair dr. Zsiros. Monthly meetings foster close interaction between our preclinical research group and clinicians from different specializations, including pediatric oncologists, pathologists, surgeons, and radiologists from Princess Máxima Center, UMCU and UMCG. Together we shape the long-term vision for preclinical and clinical research on pediatric liver cancer within the Netherlands.

 

These strong collaborations have paved the way for two pivotal translational initiatives: one involving a clinical study to assess the efficacy of small molecule inhibitors in high-risk hepatoblastoma patients (‘SIOPEL Explorer’) and the other dedicated to diagnosing tumors based on biomarkers discovered in our research. 

 

International Childhood Liver Tumor Strategy Group (SIOPEL)

 

The Princess Máxima Center is a renowned center of excellence for the treatment of pediatric liver cancer and has largely contributed to the current clinical standard. The members from our M4C held leading positions in international multi-center clinical trials and consortia. We are the largest individual center in terms of patient numbers in Europe in the Pediatric Hepatic International Tumor Trial (PHITT) and the Children’s Liver Tumor European Research Network (CHILTERN) consortium. The research activity of Dr. Zsiros have led to chemotherapy drugs which are now incorporated in the most recent international clinical trial on pediatric liver tumors (PHITT 2018).  In addition, Dr. de Krijger is the chair the European central pathology review panel for the PHITT trial.

 

Our M4C organized the annual International Society of Paediatric Oncology for epithelial liver tumor (SIOPEL) group SIOPEL meeting in March 2023 at the Princess Máxima Center, showing our deep involvement in the SIOPEL group. Due to these established worldwide collaborations, we are uniquely positioned to guarantee all necessary knowledge, experience, patient data and biological materials to address a wide range of scientific questions.

 

Organoid networks

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Furthermore, we are actively involved in the national Organoid Platform under the Oncode-Accelerator (Dutch National Growth Fund) and has contributed to ITCC-P4 (EU project) through organoid generation and drug screening. Additionally, we actively provide technical assistance to groups interested in setting-up liver organoid culture methods.

 

Interdisciplinary collaborations

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Our commitment to advancing disease treatment through interdisciplinary approaches has driven the initiation of collaborations with research groups employing a wide range of methodologies, including imaging mass cytometry, proteomics, metabolomics, tissue-specific therapeutic delivery, cancer vaccines, engineered immune cells, and  antibodies.

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