New group leader Gordon Watt wants to build a team focused on improving outcomes for cancer survivors

Cancer epidemiologist Gordon (Gordie) Watt joined the Netherlands Cancer Institute on July 1 as our new group leader. With his extensive background in cancer research, especially in imaging and survivorship, Gordie brings valuable insights and expertise to the institute, primarily in terms of improving the lives of cancer survivors. We had the opportunity to speak with him in his new office at the Netherlands Cancer Institute.

After his recent move from New York to Amsterdam, Gordie is excited about his new position as a group leader. He describes this opportunity at the Netherlands Cancer Institute as “a dream come true.”

What sparked your interest in this research field?
“As a doctoral student in New York, I was particularly interested in imaging and the way it could be used as a non-invasive tool to identify people who might have an increased risk of developing cancer in the future. Through this passion, I met my postdoc mentor Jonine Bernstein, a prominent cancer epidemiologist focusing primarily on breast cancer. That is how I began my work in different studies using mammograms and MRIs to identify individuals with increased and decreased risks of future breast cancer.”

Why specifically in breast cancer?
"Breast cancer is a significant societal burden, and while we've made tremendous progress in terms of treatment, we still need to address the effects of this treatment. Many breast cancer survivors live long lives, but the chemotherapy and radiotherapy they received can lead to second cancers, cardiovascular disease, or other unwanted effects. This is where the survivorship aspect of my research comes into play. While my primary focus has been on breast cancer, I'm also interested in late effects after cancer treatment, which could apply to any cancer type.”

What do you see as the biggest challenges in your research field?
“We don't really know how to identify individuals who have the highest risk of developing second tumors caused by treatments like high-dose radiation or chemotherapy, which increase their likelihood of developing a new tumor. This lack of knowledge can have a significant impact on patients. For example, some women might choose to have breast removal to reduce their chances of getting a second cancer. By gaining new insights from research on how to identify individuals at the highest risk of second cancers caused by treatment, those women would be able to make smarter choices about how often to get mammograms or MRIs, and whether to consider other ways to lower their risk."

Why did you decide to join the Netherlands Cancer Institute?
"During my time as a postdoc, I conducted research into the late effects experienced by breast cancer survivors. I received a career development scholarship to investigate late effects in childhood cancer survivors through the US Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Floor van Leeuwen and other members of the Netherlands Cancer Institute are global experts in survivorship research, and the opportunity to work alongside these experts is what drew me to this position."

What are your goals as a group leader?
"I want to significantly advance our understanding of the risks of late effects, particularly in terms of second tumors and cardiovascular disease. My long-term goal is to combine my research on imaging markers and late effects to introduce new ways to identify these late effects sooner and, if possible, to prevent them. Ultimately, I want to build a team focused entirely on improving outcomes for cancer survivors."

How many people are in your research group?
"Right now it’s just me, but I’ll be hiring soon. Over the next year, I plan to fill at least two positions."

Who is Gordie outside of work?
“Before moving here, I was living in New York with my husband while working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. My husband and I really enjoyed the theater scene and we were both involved in community organizations. I was working on becoming a Master Composter for the City of New York, which was a fun way to bring together my love of gardening and my drive to reduce waste. We were initially reluctant to leave New York because we had such great lives there. But when this opportunity to work in the Netherlands presented itself, we got excited. It’s a new adventure and made us curious about what life here would be like.”

How has the culture switch been for you?
"Not too bad! There are some cultural differences, but people have been very accommodating, especially when it comes to language. While we are currently learning Dutch, we appreciate how willing people are to switch to English, not just at work but everywhere. Even in Amsterdam, where there’s talk about local residents being frustrated with the number of expats, we’ve been feeling very welcome."

What type of team members or researchers are you hoping to work with?
“I am eager to collaborate with researchers who are passionate about multidisciplinary work aimed at improving outcomes for cancer survivors. Some specific skills that would be useful include the analysis of imaging data, particularly machine learning approaches to image analysis. I would like to collaborate with people who have worked with genetic data and can investigate how genetic factors influence downstream processes such as DNA transcription, protein translation, and ultimately disease outcomes. Ideally, I wish to collaborate with researchers with technical expertise in imaging analysis, genetics, or both, along with a strong interest in late effects.”