Kees-Jan has been affiliated with WCMM Lund since 2017 and is a WCMM Clinical Researcher focusing on Haematopoietic & Immune Development. He combines clinical work in paediatric haematology and oncology with preclinical and clinical research, working across the boundary between the laboratory and the clinic.
We had a chat with Kees-Jan about what happens when clinical questions meet scientific curiosity, from understanding blood and immune development to developing better and less toxic treatments for children with leukaemia.
| What led you to combine clinical work in paediatric haematology and oncology with research?
Ever since I received my medical licence, I have pursued research alongside my clinical work, driven by a wish to understand the biological processes underlying the diseases we see in the clinic.
I value the contrast between the two. Clinical training is broad, while research allows you to focus deeply on a specific question. The two also strengthen each other. Clinical work shows me where improvements are needed and research has made me a better clinician, not least by helping me interpret results from advanced methods such as DNA and RNA sequencing, which are increasingly used in patient care.
| What are the main questions and challenges you are currently addressing?
In my small experimental group, we study the factors that influence both normal blood formation and abnormal blood formation, as in leukaemia.
We are completing a study of immune reconstitution after different types of stem cell transplantation in a mouse model of haploidentical transplantation. We are also investigating a specific transcription factor, its role in leukaemia development and whether inhibiting it could serve as a treatment.
Clinically, I am involved in an international randomised trial in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia that tests the addition of newer targeted therapies and whether certain treatment elements can be de-escalated to reduce toxicity without losing efficacy. I am also part of a study of late side effects in children treated for B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
| How does your clinical work influence your research priorities?
Working as a specialist makes it clear where current care falls short and I bring those questions back into my research.
In this way, clinical needs directly shape the problems I choose to address. Being close to patients helps me identify questions that are relevant in real-world clinical care while research gives me the opportunity to investigate those questions in depth.
| Which collaborations within WCMM, Lund or nationally have been particularly valuable to your work?
Being part of the Division of Molecular Hematology, the Lund Stem Cell Center and WCMM has been extremely rewarding.
As a clinician, it is challenging to keep up with the rapid technological developments in experimental science. I therefore rely greatly on colleagues in these environments to help me understand new methods, see how they can be applied and carry out and interpret experiments.
Our research also depends on a tight network in paediatric oncology, both nationally and internationally. These collaborations allow us to work across the boundaries between clinical and preclinical research and give us access to the expertise and patient populations needed for larger studies.
| What research developments or patient benefits do you hope to achieve in the coming years?
My research spans from preclinical work in mouse models to phase III randomised clinical trials and I hope to contribute at every level to a better understanding and treatment of childhood cancer, particularly paediatric leukaemia.
Our preclinical models aim to identify possible treatment strategies for future use. At the same time, our clinical studies focus on improving treatment for children being treated today. For example by identifying when treatment can be intensified to improve efficacy and when it can be de-escalated to reduce unnecessary toxicity.
“Our preclinical work aims to cure tomorrow’s patients, while our clinical trials focus on improving treatment for today’s.”
For Kees-Jan, these different stages of research are not separate paths. They are part of the same translational journey, from questions arising in the clinic, through experimental research and clinical trials, towards better treatments and outcomes for children with cancer.
Read More
- Barncancerfonden | Interview with Kees-Jan Pronk: "Fler barn överlever svårbehandlad leukemi" (in Swedish).
- Research profile at WCMM Lund
