prof. Mieke Van Hemelrijck (PhD)

My research focuses on improving cancer outcomes by understanding how cancers are prevented, detected, treated, and lived with in real world healthcare settings. I work as a cancer epidemiologist, leading a multidisciplinary team that brings together population science, clinical research, data science, and patient centred methods.
The overarching aim of our research is to generate evidence that can directly inform clinical practice, health services, and policy. We study common cancers, with a strong focus on urological and other solid tumours, across the entire cancer pathway, from risk factors and early diagnosis to treatment outcomes, long term survival, and quality of life. A key principle of our work is that cancer outcomes are shaped not only by biological factors, but also by comorbidities, treatment decisions, healthcare systems, and patient experiences.
Our team works with large scale population data, clinical registries, biobanks, and routinely collected health data, often through national and international collaborations. We place particular emphasis on real world evidence and patient reported outcomes, ensuring that research reflects the complexity of everyday clinical care. In parallel, we use qualitative and mixed methods research to better understand patients’ needs, preferences, and experiences.
This research is highly relevant for patients and society because it supports more personalised, equitable, and sustainable cancer care. By embedding epidemiology within multidisciplinary cancer research and working closely with clinicians, patients, and policymakers, our work helps translate data into meaningful improvements in cancer outcomes and quality of life.
 

Professor Mieke Van Hemelrijck is a Professor of Cancer Epidemiology at King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. She leads the TOUR (Transforming cancer OUtcomes through Research) team, a multidisciplinary research group that works at the interface of epidemiology, clinical oncology, data science, and patient centred research.
Her research focuses on improving cancer outcomes across the entire patient pathway - from prevention and early diagnosis to treatment, survivorship, and quality of life. She has particular expertise in real world evidence, clinical cancer epidemiology, and the use of routinely collected health data, registries, and biobanks. A central theme of her work is translating complex data into evidence that informs clinical practice, guidelines, and healthcare delivery.
Professor Van Hemelrijck works closely with clinicians, patients, and policymakers through national and international collaborations, including leadership roles in major European research initiatives. She plays an active role in quality of life research and outcome harmonisation, ensuring that patient perspectives are embedded in cancer research and care.
Alongside her research, she is strongly committed to research leadership, mentorship, and capacity building. She has supervised numerous postgraduate researchers and contributes extensively to teaching in epidemiology and population health. Through her work, she aims to support more personalised, equitable, and patient centred cancer care.
 

• Sophie Bennett – Research Assistant
• Declan Cahill – PhD student
• dr. Louis Fox – Research Fellow
• dr. Gincy George – Research Fellow
• Saran Green – PPIE Manager/PhD student
• Anna Haire – Senior Study Coordinator/PhD student
• Jasmine Handford – Clinical Database Manager
• Madeline Johns – Research Assistant
• Oshun Kaid-Adeti – Research Assistant
• Amy Lai – Research Administrator
• dr. Virginia Lam – Clinical Fellow
• Ailbhe Lawlor – Research Assistant/PhD student
• dr Luke Mahoney – Research Associate
• Marta Marchetti – PhD student
• Rebecca Martin – PhD student
• dr. Charlotte Moss – Research Fellow
• dr. Mark Rowley – Research Fellow
• Tijana Savic – Clinical Database Manager
• Andressa Schneiders – Research Assistant
• Mia Tazi – Research Assistant
• Eirini Tsotra – MD student
• Harriet Wylie – Senior Study Coordinator
• Rachel Woodley – Research Assistant

• Exploring a panel of serum biomarkers for cancer risk in patients with non-specific symptoms: a comparative analysis of feature selection methods. BMJ Open (2025). PMID: 41371732
• Novel methodologies for clinical research in radiation oncology: Time to think outside of the box? A narrative review. Radiotherapy & Oncology (2025). PMID: 41380978
• Implementing Patient Reported Outcomes in Cancer Care: Lessons and Strategies from a large NHS Centre. J of Cancer Policy (2025).  PMID: 40619063
• Guy’s Cancer cohort: Guy’s Cancer Centre’s Real World Evidence Programme 5 years later. ESMO Real World Data and Digital Oncology (2025). PMID: 41647710
• Core Outcome Sets in Cancer Clinical Trials: Current Status and Future Opportunities – An EORTC Perspective. Trials (2025). PMID: 40205620
• Addressing health disparities and equitable representation in cancer research through the “diverse Patient and Public Involvement Initiative”. Ecancer (2025). PMID: 40496318
• PIONEER Big Data Platform for Prostate Cancer: Lessons Learnt for Advancing Future Real-World Evidence Research. Nat Rev Urology (2024). PMID: 39251785

• Lab address:
  1) Campus UZ Gent, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 46 - 4th floor, 9000 Gent, Belgium
  2) TOUR, Guy’s Hospital – Comprehensive Cancer Centre, 3rd Floor Bermondsey Wing, London SE1 9RT, UK
• TOUR Team
• LinkedIn
• Mieke.vanhemelrijck@kcl.ac.uk
• Mieke Van Hemelrijck is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks