Profile photo Paul van Diest

Paul van Diest

Full Professor

Strategic program(s):

Biography

Paul J van Diest has been a dedicated cancer researcher since the start of his career, obtaining numerous grants a.o. from the NIH and the Dutch Cancer Society. He studied Medicine, did his PhD and pathology residency at the VU University medical center (VUMC) in Amsterdam. After obtaining his Board certification in Pathology in 1996, he became Consultant Pathologist at the Department of Pathology of the VUMC. In 1999 he was appointed Associate Professor and in 2001 to full Professor. In 2003 he moved to Utrecht to become Head of the Department of Pathology at the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) where he is currently still working. He is Adjunct Professor of Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Oncology Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA. He serves on the editorial board of >20 international journals. He has been active in the board as secretary and president of several international societies. He has published >900 papers in peer reviewed journals, personally supervised 90 PhD theses, and has an H-index of 99. The main theme of his research is finding ways for prevention, optimized diagnosis and cure of breast cancer, both the male and female forms. He is also active in the field of implementing digital pathology and AI.

Strategic program(s):

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Research groups

Translational breast cancer research group

Research aim

We aim to optimize early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, especially rare breast cancers like pregnancy associated, male & lobular breast cancer. We refine tissue diagnostics with molecular techniques/AI, and apply nipple fluid/blood tests.

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AI in pathology

Research aim

To develop, validate, and implement AI in digital pathology practice

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Recent publications

AI-based prediction of molecular aberrations in prostate cancer using digital pathology Jacqueline E van Hees, Michiel Vlaming, Rachel N Flach, Nikolas Stathonikos, Britt B M Suelmann, Richard P Meijer, Peter-Paul M Willemse, Paul J van Diest
Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 2025, vol. 217
Artificial Intelligence-Detected Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Outcomes in Anti-PD-1-Based Treated Melanoma Mark Schuiveling, Isabella A J van Duin, Laurens S Ter Maat, Janneke C van der Weerd, Rik J Verheijden, Franchette van den Berkmortel, Christian U Blank, Gerben E Breimer, Femke H Burgers, Marye Boers-Sonderen, Alfons J M van den Eertwegh, Jan Willem B de Groot, John B A G Haanen, Geke A P Hospers, Ellen Kapiteijn, Djura Piersma, Gerard Vreugdenhil, Hans Westgeest, Anne M R Schrader, Josien P W Pluim, Paul J van Diest, Mitko Veta, Karijn P M Suijkerbuijk, Willeke A M Blokx
JAMA Oncology, 2025, vol. 11, p.1470-1478
Head-to-head comparison of two artificial intelligence tools for detecting lymph-node metastases in whole slide pathology images within and beyond their intended use Rachel N Flach, Milan Samuels, Natalie D Ter Hoeve, Nikolas Stathonikos, Trudy G N Jonges, Jan Erik Freund, Gerben E Breimer, Willeke A M Blokx, Frans Schutgens, Tri Q Nguyen, Paul J van Diest, Carmen van Dooijeweert
Modern Pathology, 2025, vol. 38
Inhibition of DDX3 modulates immune signaling in aggressive breast cancers Farhad Vesuna, Paul T. Winnard, Marise Heerma van Voss, Guus M. Bol, Natalie D. ter Hoeve, Paul J. van Diest, Venu Raman
Cancer Letters, 2025, vol. 634
Worse prognosis for breast cancer diagnosed in advanced pregnancy and shortly postpartum Carsten F J Bakhuis, Stefan Preković, Britt B M Suelmann, Janneke Verloop, Pieter J Westenend, Sabine C Linn, Paul J van Diest, Elsken van der Wall, Carmen van Dooijeweert
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2025, vol. 214, p.191–204
Pitfalls in the histological diagnosis of morphologic variants of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast Giuseppe Floris, Lounes Djerroudi, Gitte Zels, Maxim De Schepper, François Richard, Rigleta Brahimaj, Patrick W B Derksen, Matthias Christgen, Sunil R Lakhani, Paul J Van Diest, Edi Brogi, Christine Desmedt, Stuart J Schnitt, Anne Vincent-Salomon,
Modern Pathology, 2025, vol. 38

Fellowships & Awards

Dutch Cancer Society (KWF)

Health Care Efficiency Research Programme of The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw)

External positions

Board of Advisors - Adviseren - ESDIP

Member of the Digital Pathology advisory board of Paige - Op basis van expertise - Paige

Contractresearch - Vanuit de expertise van mijn huidige functie - Samantree

Visiting Professor. lesgeven, opleiding AIOS uit Siena voor stage althier - Op basis expertise - University of Siena, Italy

Zie bijlage - Alles op basis van expertise in mijn functie - Varia alle inkomsten t.g.v. UMC Utrecht zie bijlage

Member of the Digital Pathology advisory board of Philips - Vanuit mijn expertise - Philips

Wetenschappelijk - Vanuit mijn expertise - Sidney Kimmel Oncology Center at Johns Hopkins