Sonja Zweegman, MD, PhD
Dr. Zweegman works as a clinical hematologist as the head of the Department of Hematology at the VU University Medical Center Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands. and has a special interest in the treatment of patients with Multiple Myeloma. She is vice-chaiman of the HOVON Myeloma Working Group.
Her clinical research is focused on the improvement of the treatment of patients with Multiple Myeloma. She is the principal investigator of several (inter)national clinical trials in the elderly aiming at personalized treatment based on the level of frailty. In order to reach that goal, she investigates whether functional geriatric assessments and biological markers of frailty, such as senescence and sarcopenia, are better predictors for the feasibility of therapy. Furthermore, she co-leads the myeloma translational research group, which is embedded within the Department of Hematology, in order to integrate scientific research with care. The research is dedicated to improve immune therapy of Multiple Myeloma. Firstly, by investigating the mechanism of action of immune therapy, being exemplified by revealing the long term immune-regulatory effects of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, and the biological background of immune therapy resistance. Secondly, by developing novel treatment strategies, such as dual CAR-T cell therapy. She is a co-author of more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and several book chapters. In addition, she has a great interest in education both in the public and the professional domain, teaching patients and hematologists, both nationally and internationally. Moreover, she is involved in several projects with the goal to improve health care for patients with haematological malignancies. As chairman of the HOVON working group ‘Echelons in haematological care’ she is responsible for guidelines regarding concentration of care and regional consultation. Within the International Myeloma Working Group she recently joined Jean Luc Harousseau within the working group dedicated to improve global access to drugs.
