Dr. Olaf van Tellingen is a group leader (PI) at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in the Division of Pharmacology.

He received his PhD in 1993 on his thesis investigating the pharmacology of investigational Vinca Alkaloids in mouse models. Since then, he has remained working as a pharmacologist at the NKI - first as an associate researcher, and then further as a group leader. During a sabbatical at AVL, he has also spent time between 1996-1997 as a visiting scientist in the lab of Prof. Josh Fidler (MD Anderson Cancer Center), where he became experienced in using orthotopic cancer models, including brain metastases models. Since then, his main research topic has been glioblastoma (GBM) - a devastating malignant brain tumor for which there are yet no curative therapies.

The interest in this topic originates from the knowledge that the blood-brain barrier that protects the normal brain from hazardous substances, can also protect tumors in the brain against drugs - thus hindering therapy. In order to investigate new therapies and improve the delivery of such therapeutics, he has developed a range of experimental GBM models in mice, including transgenic GBM models and patient derived GBM stem cell models. Importantly, GBM is characterized by the fact that multiple growth stimulating signaling pathways are simultaneously over-activated in the same tumor cell. Hence, single agent trials inhibiting only one of such pathways have not very been very successful.

His current research involves the search for combinations of drugs that together target the most important over-activated signaling pathways. Importantly, these drugs should also be able to reach GBM tumor cells in adequate quantities and thus be sufficiently blood-brain barrier permeable. Alternatively, he is working to improve the delivery of such potentially active pharmaceuticals to GBM tumor cells. One strategy is to inhibit the drug efflux transport proteins residing in the blood-brain barrier, which pump drugs back into the blood, thus limiting the drug uptake GBM tumor tissues. Radiotherapy is another major cornerstone in the treatment of GBM, extending the survival time of GBM patients the most. He is also working on a program to discover agents that are able to further enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy. Lastly, his lab is actively involved in research to a very recently introduced treatment for GBM, namely tumor treating fields (TTFields), which has shown promising results in patients, extending the survival with several more months. In this research, he has found that the mechanism of action of TTFields is still conjecture, and is working to unravel the underlying mechanisms responsible for the reduced disease progression by TTFields.

The Olaf van Tellingen lab works jointly with the Gerben Borst group (Radiation Oncologist). The team is currently comprised of a post-doc, two graduate students, four technicians and several undergraduate students.