Jeroen Hagendoorn: lab surgeon becomes professor

Finding new ways to treat tumors in the liver and bile ducts. Not only by improving surgical techniques, but at the same time by understanding why and how cancer develops. That is the goal of surgeon Jeroen Hagendoorn. As of 1 November 2025, he is UMC Utrecht’s new professor of translational surgical oncology. A remarkable chair because it directly connects theory (fundamental research) with practice (oncological surgery).

Jeroen Hagendoorn has always been convinced that the clinic (daily hospital practice) and fundamental science (research in the lab into how diseases develop at the cell/gene/molecular level) should not be separated.

“I believe that questions about the biology of cancer can only be answered in the lab, but it is the clinical patients who really put research insights to the test,” says Jeroen.

This idea is at the heart of his work as a surgeon and researcher. He operates on patients with liver, bile duct and pancreatic tumors, but he studies the biological mechanisms that cause and spread cancer as well. With his new role as professor, Jeroen wants to further stimulate and expand the collaboration between lab and clinic within UMC Utrecht. This will allow patients to receive the best tailormade treatment much sooner.

Liver in the lab

Jeroen’s research area focuses on the molecular properties of liver metastases (metastases of colon cancer in the liver) and liver cell cancer.

“How do cancer cells leave the liver? And how do they spread to other organs? Research into this is crucial for improving treatments and preventing new metastases,” explains Jeroen. “By sparring about these kinds of questions with my ‘colleague in the lab’ and professor of tumor biology Onno Kranenburg, concrete ideas and solutions come up. For example, we have developed a microscopic 3D chip in which we grow lymphatic vessels and can see tumor cells metastasize live.”

Radiation and surgery

Jeroen also works intensively on the development of new treatment methods. He does this together with other medical specialties, such as radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, oncologists, gastroenterologists and liver specialists.

An important new treatment is, for example, the combination of radioembolization with surgery. In radioembolization, radioactive spheres are injected into the hepatic artery. These spheres then end up in the blood vessels of the liver tumor and irradiate it – very precisely – from the inside.

“We have already shown that combining radioembolization with liver surgery increases the chances of successful surgery, especially in patients with liver cancer who could not be operated on initially,” he points out. “These kinds of multidisciplinary innovations, can drastically improve treatment options for patients.”

Robot helps recovery

In addition to radioembolization, Jeroen also focuses on robotic surgery. “Robot-assisted surgery makes it possible to perform operations through smaller incisions. This results in less pain, fewer complications and a faster recovery, having a huge impact on our patients’ quality of life,” says Jeroen. “The development of robotic surgery is also going very fast, which allows us to combine it with innovations such as image-guided surgery, telesurgery (remote surgery – ed.) and AI.”

The use of robots in liver surgery has increased from 14 percent in 2014 to about 60 percent now, partly thanks to the program that Jeroen and his colleagues have developed.

Making the difference

According to Jeroen, the success or failure of a treatment depends on how different disciplines in the hospital join forces, both in patient care and in research.

“The strength of our work lies in the close collaboration between surgeons and scientists,” says Jeroen. “In the Laboratory for Translational Oncology (LTO), we work with fundamental researchers on a daily basis. This ensures that we can immediately ‘translate’ practical issues into scientific research and vice versa.”

At UMC Utrecht, the LTO plays a key role in bringing laboratory research to the clinic, where new treatments are actually tried out.

“The interaction between laboratory and clinic makes what we do unique. It not only gives us new insights, but also the opportunity to make treatments available to our patients faster,” explains Jeroen.

“Cancer research and patient care are not separate worlds, but two sides of the same mission. It is unique to have a lab like the LTO within a clinical department. A long time ago, the LTO was a ‘surgical-oncology’ laboratory, but in the past ten years, many more specialties have joined, including urology, oncology, epidemiology and gynecology. Together, we can develop treatments that can really make a difference for patients sooner.”

(Inter)national bridges

But collaboration is not only important within UMC Utrecht. Jeroen works as a surgeon in one of the largest teams for liver, bile duct and pancreatic surgery in the Netherlands. They work from not one but two surgical locations: in both UMC Utrecht and St. Antonius Hospital (Nieuwegein/Utrecht). Jeroen and his fellow surgeons are also joining forces with partner hospitals within the regional cancer care network RAKU/Oncomid (Oncologie Midden-Nederland).

But medical research is not confined to national borders, Jeroen emphasizes. He is also building bridges in the rest of the Netherlands and internationally. After his medical exams, he worked for three years in a cancer laboratory at Harvard Medical School in Boston. And he now works closely with other Dutch university medical centers and with research groups in Boston, Stockholm and Los Angeles, among others.

Ambition for the future

As a professor, Jeroen wants to further expand his research program and at the same time be an example for other doctors who want to bridge the gap between fundamental science and healthcare.

“I want to show that, as a surgeon, you can actively contribute to scientific research and, by doing so, improve healthcare. My goal is to further develop innovative treatments while ensuring that our research is quickly available to patients.”

Only the beginning

His appointment as professor marks not only a personal milestone, but also an important step for UMC Utrecht.

“UMC Utrecht has a leading position worldwide in oncological care and innovative research. I am proud to contribute to this and to continue to build on our international reputation,” Jeroen.

“I strive for the latest scientific insights to be put into practice quickly,” says Hagendoorn. “With, among others, the LTO and my colleagues within Oncomid, we are working on the healthcare of the future. This is just the beginning.”