According to the jury, Karin de Visser ranks among the global leaders in tumor immunology. As a group leader at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, she investigates how tumors and the immune system interact. She also collaborates closely with clinicians on clinical trials for patients, which is why the jury commended De Vissers ability to successfully translate laboratory discoveries to clinical applications.
In addition to her scientific contributions, the jury considers her an inspiring role model for young researchers. “She combines scientific excellence with humility and approachability, qualities that her colleagues and PhD candidates alike highly respect her for,” the jury noted. De Visser is Professor by Special Appointment at LUMC and affiliated with the Oncode Institute.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award,” says De Visser. “This is a great recognition and motivation for the cancer research I conduct together with my incredible team. Through fundamental research, we aim to uncover new insights and targets to improve treatment options for patients.”
The award includes a €100,000 research grant. “With this funding, we aim to further investigate why the immune system fails to eliminate cancer and how we might reverse this therapeutically. Metastases are the leading cause of mortality in breast cancer, yet we still don’t fully understand how tumor cells evade the immune system during this stage. This award enables us to develop new, advanced technologies to study this process in greater detail.”
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society and the AVL Foundation.