Valk Lab

Comprehensive analyses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using genomics to better understand AML biology and improve AML patient outcomes

Dr Peter J.M. Valk received his PhD degree in 1999 at the Department of Hematology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, on the identification of novel leukemia oncogenes using retroviral mutagenesis (with Prof Dr B. Löwenberg).  He worked as a research fellow awarded by the Dutch Cancer Society in the Department of Hemato-oncology  at the Children’s Hospital in Boston (with Prof Stuart Orkin). In 2000, Dr Valk returned to the Department of Hematology at the Erasmus University Medical Center as Associate Professor and Head of the Hemato-oncology Laboratory (cytology and molecular diagnostics – reference laboratory in HOVON-AMLSG-NCRI clinical trials).

Our research

The department of Hematology at Erasmus MC is involved in clinical and translational research aimed at the improvement of treatment and diagnosis of hematological malignancies. The department coordinates and participates in multicenter clinical trials (HOVON/SAKK) and has a major focus on the delineation of the biology of hematologic malignancies and the development of molecular diagnostics for these diseases. The aim of these programs is to dissect the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of these conditions and translate them to clinical practice.

Dr Valk’s main interest is unraveling the molecular heterogeneity of hematologic malignancies, in particular acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using various genome-wide technologies, such as gene expression profiling, genotyping and next generation sequencing, Dr Valk revealed novel insights into the heterogeneity and biology of AML. His work has developed molecular biomarkers that are incorporated into routine risk-stratification and clinical care of AML patients. More recently Dr Valk has focused on the detection of molecular minimal residual disease In AML, clonal hematopoiesis and germline predisposition to myeloid malignancy.

Our team

Peter Valk, principal investigator

Jeanine Gastreich, research technician

Francois Kavelaars, research technician

Melissa Rijken, research technician

Jolinda Konijnenburg, research associate

Lisanne Beugelink, PhD student

Thijs van Bergen, PhD student

Emma Boertjes, PhD student

Alumni

Roxanne Cromwell

Tim Grob

Christian Vonk

Key publications