I joined the Princess Máxima Center as a basic researcher and pediatrician in training in June 2018. My primary research interest lies in understanding the molecular biology of pediatric soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and to use that knowledge to develop new treatment options for patients suffering from these tumors. To this end, I study establishment procedures for novel preclinical models of pediatrist STS (i.e., tumor organoid models) as well as bulk and single-cell genomics of these tumors. I am furthermore member of the molecular tumor board of the Dutch iTHER as well as the German INFORM pediatric precision medicine trial.
My hobbies include sports (running, bootcamp) and gaming (board games, tabletop role-playing games, video games). I am the proud father of a boy and a girl.
Mark Dings
Post Doc
I joined the Princess Máxima Center as a postdoctoral researcher in March 2024. During my Ph.D., my research focused on tumor heterogeneity and mechanisms of acquired resistance in gastrointestinal cancers. My interest in tumor cell plasticity led me to the Máxima. In my current postdoctoral work, I am focused on developing maturation therapies for pediatric cancers characterized by a “differentiation block”; these cancers often arise from a single mutation in an epigenetic remodeling gene. My primary focus is on rhabdoid tumors.
In my spare time, I enjoy going to the gym, rock climbing, and playing board games.