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The Executive Board has appointed Ruben van Boxtel as Professor of Genome Biology of Stem Cells at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� with effect from 15 June 2025. His research focuses on the fundamental question: Why do children get cancer? “By better understanding what goes wrong at the genetic level in stem cells, we can contribute to better diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer, and prevention of second cancers.”

Van Boxtel uses advanced techniques to map DNA changes and damage in stem cells of children with cancer. His appointment at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine may not seem obvious at first, but Van Boxtel explains: “Animal species that rarely or remarkably often get cancer, offer unique insights into natural protection against cancer. And that helps us to better understand why childhood cancer can develop.”

Humans and animals

In addition to his professorship, Van Boxtel remains a research group leader at the Princess Máxima Center and the Oncode Institute. Van Boxtel already collaborates with research groups within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to compare lymphoma in children and dogs at the molecular level. ‘If it turns out that certain tumors are very similar, we can learn a lot from each other. In clinical studies looking at dogs with cancer – who have the same living environment as we do – we can develop and test less harmful treatments, which in future we may also be able to use for children with cancer.’

He expects more fruitful collaborations within the faculty, for example in the field of RNA sequencing, metabolomics and lipidomics – techniques with which various molecular processes in cells can be studied. “By cleverly combining this data with our expertise in genome biology of stem cells, we can gain deeper insights into the origin and progression of cancer.”

Science is teamwork

The appointment also means a lot to Van Boxtel personally. “I find supervising young researchers to be one of the most beautiful and meaningful parts of my work. I look forward to not only supervising PhD candidates, but also to officially awarding them their degrees. That is a special moment in the process.”

Throughout his career, Van Boxtel has been driven by wonder. “I am fascinated by how the enormous complexity of life is contained in the genome – a kind of biological code. That curiosity has always motivated me to explore new techniques and to make connections between fundamental research and societal impact. This appointment feels like recognition of the work that I have built up together with my group over the past few years. Research is teamwork, and I am proud of what we have achieved together.”