“Cabazitaxel is a drug prescribed to patients with end stage prostate cancer. It is currently delivered intravenously. It would be beneficial for this group if they could take their medicine at home in tablet form so they would no longer have to travel to the hospital. That's why I used various mouse models to test whether this would be safe in combination with a second drug, ritonavir. This booster aids the absorption of the medication by the body. The results look very promising.
Based on my findings, colleagues at the hospital are now able to set up a clinical trial to see whether the lab results also apply to real patients. I've tested this booster principle with other cancer medications as well, in human cells as well as mouse models. This was incredibly fascinating.
I'm a hard worker and thrive on challenges: I also trained as a clinical pharmacologist during my PhD. But I also love to spend time talking to my colleagues. I'm currently working as a full-time pharmacist at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, where I oversee the preparation of packets containing cultured T-cells, which we use in TIL therapy.”
Nancy Loos will defend her thesis on April 10.