The Liquid Biopsy Center is a comprehensive biobank initiative sponsored by the Cancer Center Amsterdam Foundation. Our mission is to collect ‘biofluids’, such as blood and urine, from all patients diagnosed with cancer that visit one of our clinics. Samples collected before, during and after treatment represent a unique biosource for cutting-edge cancer research to fulfill the promise of personalized cancer care, early cancer detection and non-invasive treatment efficacy monitoring.

The overall aim of the Liquid Biopsy Center (LBC) is to facilitate liquid biopsy-related cancer research. High-quality samples that have been uniformly collected and are well annotated are of critical importance for impactful research. In close collaboration with the Amsterdam UMC biobank core facility, the central research lab and various clinical departments, efficient and standardized biobanking logistics have been set up. With an already vast collection of high-quality biofluids, LBC supports and accelerates the development of novel non-invasive tests for earlier cancer diagnosis, more accurate cancer prognosis, better treatment selection, and response monitoring.

video of the Liquid Biopsy Center

The LBC team strives to maximally support liquid-biopsy researchers in the initiation of new collections as well as the continuation and expansion of existing collections. Communication with the ethical committee, the provision of standard Informed Consent Form (ICF) and electronic Case Report Form (eCRF) templates for clinical data management fall within LBC’s scope of services. Moreover, LBC houses experts in the fields of exosomes, circulating miRNAs, cell-free tumor DNA, and tumor-educated platelets and can offer advice in the design of biomarker studies.

Efficient use of collected samples is one of LBC’s spearheads. All cancer researchers can submit an issuance request to LBC, in which a short description is provided of the research question, project methodology and a justification for requested samples and volumes. The application is reviewed by the LBC scientific committee and – upon approval – by the ethical committee. For information regarding availability of samples and issuance procedures, please contact the LBC team through liquidbiopsycenter@amsterdamumc.nl.

LBC team

  • Dr. Michiel Pegtel (Head of the LBC)
  • Dr. Maarten Bijlsma (head of the LBC AMC)
  • Dr. Florent Moulière (principal investigator)
  • Dr. Wendy Onstenk (project leader)
  • Ing. Adrie Kromhout (coordinator Biobank VUmc)
  • Ing. Dorine Wouters (coordinator central research lab VUmc)
  • Eefje van Kessel (program manager Cancer Center Amsterdam)

Associated principal investigators:

  • Colorectal cancer: dr. Jurriaan Tuynman
  • Head and Neck cancer: dr. Jens Voortman
  • Hematologic cancers: dr. Jeroen Janssen
  • Hepatopancreaticobilliary cancer: prof.dr. Geert Kazemier
  • Liver cancer: Dr. Bart Takkenberg
  • Melanoma: prof.dr. Tanja de Gruijl
  • Neuro oncology: dr. Myra van Linde
  • Esophagus & stomach cancer: prof.dr. Hanneke van Laarhoven
  • Pancreatic cancer: Dr. Maarten Bijlsma
  • Thoracic oncology: dr. Idris Bahce
  • Urinary tract cancer: dr. Jens Voortman

LBC advisory board:

  • Prof.dr. Geert Kazemier
  • Prof.dr. Tanja de Gruijl
  • Prof.dr. Ruud Brakenhoff
  • Prof.dr. Tom Würdinger
  • Prof.dr. Hanneke van Laarhoven