Specialization
Biology and treatment of lymphoma, with an emphasis on early clinical trials with CAR T-cells
Focus of research
Marie José Kersten is a professor of hematology at Amsterdam University Medical Centers. B cell malignancies are the main focus of research in this department, which together with the departments of Pathology and Experimental Immunology forms the basis for the LYMMCARE Institute (Lymphoma and Myeloma Center Amsterdam). Marie José Kersten is involved in several research projects and she is the principal investigator for several phase I/II clinical trials focusing on the biology and treatment of NHL, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia and Hodgkin lymphoma. She is the chair of the EHA (European Hematology Association) Scientific Working Group Lymphoma. She is the former co-chair of the HOVON (Hemato-Oncologie Volwassenen Nederland) Lymphoma Working Party, and a co-founder and chair of the Board of the HOVON/Lunenburg Lymphoma Phase I/II Consortium (HOVON/LLPC). The main focus of the LLPC is to perform early clinical trials (from first-in-human trials to early phase II trials) in patients with lymphoma. Additionally, she is the co-chair of the Immune Effector Cell Working Party of HOVON. She is also an active member of the international Lunenburg Lymphoma Biomarker Consortium (LLBC) and the European Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Consortium (EWMC). Another research theme within LYMMCARE is to better understand the biology underlying tumor growth, progression and treatment resistance (in lymphoma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and multiple myeloma). This research is done in collaboration with the pathology department at the AMC (Pals/Spaargaren).