Merel van Gogh

I received my Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and Master’s degree in Cancer, Stem Cells and Developmental biology at the Utrecht University. Afterwards, I moved to Switzerland for my PhD in Cancer Biology. During my PhD I mainly focused on the tumor microenvironment, cancer immunology and metastasis. In July 2023 I started as a postdoc in the lab of Marcel de Zoete. Here, I focus on the interplay between cancer and the microbiota. Specifically, I am working on the role of the intestinal microbiota during immunotherapy response in cancer patients. The aim is to understand how immunomodulatory bacteria influence both the response rate and adverse events during immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, to ultimately improve the lives of cancer patients.