The Oncode Impact Foundation, a joint initiative of Oncode Accelerator Foundation and Oncode Institute, launched today. It uses philanthropy to fund the development of new treatment options for cancer patients through the so-called ‘valley of death’: the crucial phase in which promising scientific breakthroughs often falter and fail to reach patients.

Researchers led by Oncode Investigator Nitika Taneja have uncovered how cells reorganise the structure of their DNA to protect it when replication is disrupted. The findings, published in Nature, provide new insight into a fundamental process that helps maintain genome stability.

Oncode Investigators Leila Akkari and Puck Knipscheer have been elected as EMBO Members, recognising their outstanding scientific achievements and contributions to the life sciences.

In its Annual Report 2025, published today, Oncode Institute shows how excellent fundamental cancer research, collaboration and valorisation together drive impact for patients, society and the economy. The number of people living with cancer continues to rise, pressure on healthcare systems is increasing, and the need for effective and affordable diagnostics and treatments is growing. At the same time, the Netherlands is home to world-class cancer research. The challenge is to translate that knowledge faster and more effectively into applications that reach patients.

Oncode Investigator Jurgen Marteijn has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant for his project GeneGuard, which will investigate how cells detect, signal and resolve transcription stress caused by DNA damage. 

Would you like to join us in our mission to create a meaningful impact in the field of cancer research, and do you enjoy working at the interface of science and community building? We have an opportunity for you!

The KWF Dutch Cancer Society and Oncode Institute today announced they are joining forces to develop a future-proof approach to fundamental cancer research in the Netherlands. Together, they are building on a proven model in which excellent science, collaboration and valorisation reinforce one another, with the aim of creating greater room for breakthroughs that can ultimately benefit patients. 

KWF Dutch Cancer Society and Oncode Institute are taking an important next step in their collaboration. Together, both organisations are working towards a future-proof model to further strengthen fundamental cancer research and innovation in the Netherlands. 

Making pancreatic tumours visible during surgery and turning immune cells inside the body into targeted cancer fighters. With two new research projects, KiKa, Oncode Institute and KWF Kankerbestrijding are investing in innovative treatments for rare cancers in adults and children. 

A breakthrough from the Hubrecht Institute and Oncode Institute is set to redefine how proteins are produced from mRNA offering new opportunities for biotech and pharmaceutical companies to enhance performance across a wide range of applications.

Oncode Accelerator and Oncode Institute are joining forces with the AI4Health initiative to make healthcare more personalized, sustainable, and innovative by developing, validating, and implementing trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) solutions across the care system.

On May 9, 2026, Adem Karademir and Peter-Jan Simons will set off by bike from Den Bosch to Turkey. Through their journey across Europe, they aim to raise funds for cancer research at Oncode Institute. Supporting research that explores new ways to make cancer treatments more effective and better tolerated by patients, for example by studying how therapies can be timed to the body’s natural biological rhythms to improve outcomes and reduce side effects.

Scientists have uncovered more than 1,700 new proteins that could have implications for human diseases, including cancer. Mostly very small, these proteins were found in what’s called the ‘dark proteome’, which covers gene products from previously overlooked sections of DNA. These proteins have unusual properties, motivating scientists to coin a new concept, peptideins, to help understand their potentially unique biology. Their findings are being shared with scientists worldwide in an open-source format to stimulate further research.

A licensing agreement brings Sturgeon technology closer to clinical use, supporting rapid tumor classification and decision-making during surgery.