Nico Van Zandwijk

Biography

 Professor van Zandwijk obtained his medical degree from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1973, and subsequently received licenses in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine in 1979 and 1981, respectively. In 1976, he completed his PhD. In 1981, he was assistant professor at the Academic Medical Centre, and consultant physician at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in Amsterdam. From 1985 to 2008, he served as head of the Department of Thoracic Oncology at the NKI. Professor van Zandwijk has been affiliated with many scientific and professional bodies; serving as secretary, from 1982 to 1988, and later as chair, from 1988 to 1994, of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Lung Cancer Group. He has been chair of the Scientific Board (Clinical Oncology) of the NKI, and was chairman of the State Committee on Asbestos and Lung Cancer of the National Health Council, in 2002. Professor van Zandwijk was a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer from 2005-2009. He was also on the advisory board of the Thoracic Oncology Section of the French National Cancer Institute and he was the co-chair of the World Conference on Lung Cancer 2011 in Amsterdam. He has authored and co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed international scientific papers and book chapter and coordinated several multinational studies.

Research Interest

 Professor van Zandwijk's major research interest is in thoracic oncology. He founded the department of Thoracic Oncology at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and was head of department from 1985 to 2008. His department was the first to study mediastinal staging, locoregional chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy in malignant mesothelioma. In 2007, Professor van Zandwijk was asked to become the inaugural director of the purpose built Asbestos Diseases Research Institute in Sydney. Over the years he has been involved in many clinical trials, translational research and mentoring more than 20 students who have become research leaders in the own right.