Jan B. Vermorken, MD, PhD

Jan B. Vermorken was born in 1944 and started with his medical training in 1961. He graduated in 1970 from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, did his internal medicine training at the University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, and became a board-certified specialist in internal medicine in 1975. Since that time he has worked in the field of Medical Oncology, initially at the Department of Internal Medicine, later at the Department of Medical Oncology of the same institute, and was officially registered as a Medical Oncologist in the Netherlands in 1992. He received his PhD in Medical Sciences in 1986 from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. His thesis was entitled, ‘Cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum [II] (cisplatin). Clinical Pharmacological Studies’. From May 1997 until October 1, 2009, he was Professor of Oncology at the University of Antwerp (UA), and head of the Department of Medical Oncology at the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA), in Edegem, Belgium. After his retirement he remains connected to both University (emeritus Professor) and University Hospital.

His main fields of interest are gynecologic oncology, and head and neck oncology. In addition, he co-ordinated large trials in breast and colon cancer. His main research areas concern early clinical and pharmacological studies with new drugs, studies on the interaction of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and HPV in various malignancies. He devotes a significant amount of time to teaching, professional training, and continuing medical education.

With respect to his activities in European Organisations: He is member of the European Society of Gynecology (ESGO) and was ESGO council member from 1989-2000. He is member of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Gynecological Cancer Group since 1980, served as chairman of that group from 1983 to 1989, chaired its Chemotherapy Committee from 2000 to 2002 and was member of its Executive Committee (1998-2002). Since 1985 he is member of the EORTC Head and Neck Cancer Group, served as chairman of its Subcommittee for Chemotherapy (1985-1991), was secretary of the group from 1995 to 2006 and chaired the group from 2006 to 2009. He is full member of several other EORTC groups, and his institution is active full member of EORTC. His function within ESMO for years has been one of an officer, in that he chaired the National Representatives Committee from 1991 to 1996 and the Educational Committee from 1996 to 2002. During that whole period he was member of the ESMO Executive Committee. Moreover, he is considered a prominent member of the ESMO Faculty.

With respect to his activities in International Organisations: He is member of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society, was member of its Council from 1989 to 1993, and is founding member of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup, which he chaired from 1997 to 2002.

At the local level he was member of scientific board of the Dutch Cancer Society from 1988 to 1993, was chairman of the Dutch Society of Oncology from 1989 to 1997 (the moment he went to Antwerp) and was appointed chairman of the Belgian Association of Cancer Research in 2003.

Professor Vermorken is member of various scientific societies, is member of six editorial board of International journals, reviewer of 13 cancer journals and author or co-author of more than 450 publications in international journals. . As of January 1, 2009 he is Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Oncology, the official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology and the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology.