During the annual spring meeting of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Microbiologie (KNVM), held at Papendal (Arnhem) on 31 March–1 April 2026, members of the De Zoete group actively contributed to the scientific program. The meeting featured a broad range of sessions spanning fundamental microbiology to clinical applications, with a strong focus on translational research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Marcel de Zoete and Georg Zeller co-chaired Parallel Session 20, entitled “Microbiome and cancer: from mechanistic insights to therapeutic opportunities.” This session highlighted recent advances in understanding how the microbiome influences cancer development and treatment response, integrating experimental, clinical, and computational approaches. Topics ranged from mechanistic studies of host–microbe interactions to microbiome-based strategies for improving cancer immunotherapy outcomes.
Within this thematic framework, Merel van Gogh presented her work on the gut microbiome of cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, providing novel insights into microbiome composition and function in relation to treatment response. Freke Schaafsma contributed a poster presentation on a high-throughput low-oxygen host–microbiota model system, demonstrating an innovative experimental platform to study microbial behavior under physiologically relevant conditions.
The Spring meeting offered valuable opportunities for in-depth scientific exchange, critical discussion, and the strengthening of collaborations within the Dutch and international microbiology community.
Add comment
Comments