Full professor at University of Leuven (KULeuven) and the University
Hospitals Gasthuisberg, Belgium and Division Head of Digestive Oncology and since October 2023
Professor Emeritus with tasks at the University of Leuven, amongst which Board member of the Faculty
of Medicine of KULeuven.
He is a member of the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine and president of the Belgian
Foundation against Cancer (Stichting tegen Kanker; Fondation contre le Cancer).
In 2018 he became doctor honoris causa of the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland and received
several national and international awards, amongst which were in 2019 the ESMO Award and the
European Awards in Medicine for Cancer Research. He became in 2024 honorary member of the
Hungarian Society of Clinical Oncology and of the Spanish TTD group (Group of Gastrointestinal Tumors).
He published extensively: >750 articles in PubMed and more than 1650 according Thomson Web of
Science, leading to > 125.000 citations and an H-factor of 154. He is worldwide in the top 1% of highest
cited researchers in the field of Clinical Medicine, is amongst the highest Cited researchers at the
University of Leuven and in the top 3 most cited Medical Scientists in Belgium.
His research interests are various aspects of Gastrointestinal and Digestive cancers (colorectal, gastric,
pancreas, bile duct, esophageal cancer and neuroendocrine tumors). He serves on many industry
advisory boards for new anti-cancer drugs and treatment modalities and Independent Data Monitoring
Committee of clinical trials.
He is known as world wide clinical expert in Gastrointestinal Oncology and consults for patients across
the globe and featered in Belgium in the media program: Topdokters.
He co-founded and is chair of ESMO/World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona, Spain and
continues to chair ESMO GI. He serves/served on the board or key committee of ESMO (European
Society Medical Oncology; executive board, several committees), UEG (United European
Gastroenterology; educational committee, public affairs committee, scientific committee), ASCO
(American Society of Clinical Oncology; program committee, international affairs committee), ENET
(European NeuroEndocrine Society; advisory board, registry), EORTC (European Organisation Research
Treatment Cancer; executive board, chair of GI Cancer group), ECO (European Cancer Organisation;
program committee), ESDO (European Society Digestive Oncology; president), ESO (European School of
Oncology; Scientific council) and of patient advocacy groups EuropaColon (medical director) and
Digestive Cancers Europe (DICE; co-founder, executive board), the Foundation Engie (CSR) France &
Belgium
He has been appointed from 2025 onwards as member of Scientific Council of IARC /WHO (International
Agency for Research on Cancer/ World Health Organisation).
He was chairman of the governmental colon cancer prevention task force in Flanders, Belgium, was/is in

Belgian active as president and treasurer of Belgian Group Digestive Oncology and as president/vice-
president of Familial Polyposis Association (FAPA).

He is/was member of the Scientific Advisory board for different international hospitals/cancer centers:
Institut National du Cancer (INCA), Toulouse & Paris, France; University of Ulm & Leipzig, Germany;
Humanitas Hospital, Milan, Italy & Avignon, France and is member of the board of directors of the
regional hospital of Halle (vice-president since 09-2023) and member of the board of CUROZ, network of
hospitals in East-Flanders & Vlaams Brabant, Belgium.
He was instrumental in the law on the recognition of Digestive Oncology and was member of the
governmental commission of recognition for specialists in gastroenterology/ digestive oncology from
2014-2024.