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    We seek to elucidate the origin, the evolution
    and the heterogeneity of colorectal cancer
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    We develop state-of-the-art tools and techniques
    to study colorectal cancer heterogeneity and stem cell dynamics
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    We are a highly multidisciplinary group, we approach
    scientific questions from many different perspectives

    Welcome to the Louis Vermeulen laboratory website

    Vermeulen Lab seeks to elucidate the origin, the evolution and the heterogeneity of colorectal cancer. We have set up and developed a collection of state-of-the-art tools and techniques to study colorectal cancer heterogeneity and stem cell dynamics. One key characteristic of our group is the highly multidisciplinary composition, which allows us to approach scientific questions from many different perspectives.

    Recent news

    A new publication in Nature

    The Vermeulen lab published a paper in Nature! The publication by Sanne van Neerven et al. shows that Apc-mutant cells act as supercompetitors in intestinal tumour initiation:Apc-mutant cells act as supercompetitors in intestinal tumour initiation – PubMed (nih.gov)
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    A new paper in Nature Communications

    A new paper of our group, led by Dr. Daniël Miedema, is published in Nature Communications. The paper shows that chromosomal copy number heterogeneity predicts survival rates across cancers.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23384-6
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    Two new grants from the Dutch Cancer Society

    We received two grant from the Dutch Cancer Society to study: Lithium for the prevention of polypsLouis Vermeulen, together with co-applicants Sanne van Neerven and Evelien Dekker, will investigate whether it is possible to prevent polyp formation in patients with…
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    Recent publications

    Apc-mutant cells act as supercompetitors in intestinal tumour initiation.

    Nature, 2021 594(7863), 436-441
    van Neerven SM, de Groot NE, Nijman LE, Scicluna BP, van Driel MS, Lecca MC, Warmerdam DO, Kakkar V, Moreno LF, Vieira Braga FA, Sanches DR, Ramesh P, Ten Hoorn S, Aelvoet AS, van Boxel MF, Koens L, Krawczyk PM, Koster J, Dekker E, Medema JP, Winton DJ, Bijlsma MF, Morrissey E, Léveillé N, Vermeulen L
    A delicate equilibrium of WNT agonists and antagonists in the intestinal stem cell (ISC) niche is critical to maintaining the ISC compartment, as it accommodates the rapid renewal of the gut lining. Disruption of this balance by mutations in the…
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    Chromosomal copy number heterogeneity predicts survival rates across cancers.

    Nat Commun, 2021 12(1), 3188
    van Dijk E, van den Bosch T, Lenos KJ, El Makrini K, Nijman LE, van Essen HFB, Lansu N, Boekhout M, Hageman JH, Fitzgerald RC, Punt CJA, Tuynman JB, Snippert HJG, Kops GJPL, Medema JP, Ylstra B, Vermeulen L, Miedema DM
    Survival rates of cancer patients vary widely within and between malignancies. While genetic aberrations are at the root of all cancers, individual genomic features cannot explain these distinct disease outcomes. In contrast, intra-tumour heterogeneity (ITH) has the potential to elucidate…
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    Predictors of 30-Day Mortality Among Dutch Patients Undergoing Colorectal Cancer Surgery, 2011-2016.

    JAMA Netw Open, 2021 4(4), e217737
    van den Bosch T, Warps AK, de Nerée Tot Babberich MPM, Stamm C, Geerts BF, Vermeulen L, Wouters MWJM, Dekker JT, Tollenaar RAEM, Tanis PJ, Miedema DM,
    Importance: Quality improvement programs for colorectal cancer surgery have been introduced with benchmarking based on quality indicators, such as mortality. Detailed (pre)operative characteristics may offer relevant information for proper case-mix correction. Objective: To investigate the added value of machine learning to predict…
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