
Professor Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Professor in Cancer Epidemiology
Research interests
- Cancer
Biography
Mieke Van Hemelrijck leads the Translational Oncology and Urology Research (TOUR) Team in the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences at King's. She became a Reader (Associate Professor) in Cancer Epidemiology in September 2018, and became a Professor in late 2020. She joined the Group in August 2008 from Harvard School of Public Health to study for her PhD on 'Metabolic Syndrome and Prostate Cancer: Biomarkers and Treatment Side-effects', which she completed in November 2010. At Harvard, her Master's thesis focused on bladder cancer and smoking patterns, building on her Master's in Statistical Data-Analysis received from Ghent University in her home country of Belgium in 2006.
As a cancer epidemiologist working with national registers and hospital-based (biobank) data in the UK and Europe, Prof Van Hemelrijck has expertise in clinical data, statistics, clinical practice and patient care in the area of uro-oncology. Moreover, several of her PhD students and staff are conducting qualitative research into understanding patients’ needs and experiences (e.g. development of educational support tool for men with prostate cancer on active surveillance; development of an exercise intervention as part of standard care for men with prostate cancer). Furthermore, Prof Van Hemelrijck has worked with Movember on developing a consensus document on semantics in active surveillance for men with prostate cancer using a modified Delphi consensus procedure. Most recently, Prof Van Hemelrijck started working with the European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines Office as part of the EU-funded PIONEER Consortium – big data for prostate cancer. She is leading the work package that aims to develop standardised definitions of prostate cancer outcomes among different stakeholders using the Delphi consensus procedure. Prof Van Hemelrijck’s prostate cancer research is internationally recognised and she is currently also involved in another large international Consortim: ReIMAGINE
Given Mieke’s interest in clinical epidemiology of urological cancers, she has coordinated the King’s Health Partners' Uro-Oncology Programme, which brings together all researchers and clinicians involved in urological cancer research at KHP since 2012. In 2013, she became a Visiting Researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, funded by a Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research Fellowship.
Since 2008, Mieke has supervised more than 40 postgraduate and undergraduate students at King's, as well as being first supervisor currently for three PhD students in the TOUR team. Her teaching experience covers the two BSc Modules (Principles of Epidemiology and Sports, Exercise, Health, and Medicine I) hosted by the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine. She has published more than 240 original articles, of which she is first author on over 40 and last author on over 100.
Research

Translational Oncology and Urology Research
The Translational Oncology and Urology Research (TOUR) team aims to turn science into better healthcare by translating uro-oncology research into medical practice.

Global Oncology Group
The Global Oncology Group brings together global cancer faculty across King’s College London and it’s NHS partner hospitals under Kings’ Health Partners.

Programme in Gastrointestinal Cancer
The Programme in GI Cancer focuses on GI tract diseases, mostly cancer and oesophago-gastric cancer. This group spans a broad field of interests, promoting collaborative working within KCL, nationally and internationally.
News
King's researchers chair session exploring pandemic impact on cancer research priorities
Professors Mieke Van Hemelrijck and Professor Richard Sullivan chaired a highlight session exploring the impact of COVID-19 on cancer research priorities at...

Researchers investigate effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for cancer patients
New research from the COVID-19 and Cancer Global Taskforce compares the COVID-19 vaccine protection across different types of cancers, and highlights new...

Hospital attendance not associated with increased risk of COVID transmission
These results follow from an analysis of asymptomatic, positive COVID-19 cases in cancer patients during the outbreak of the alpha variant, between December...

Significant international divide in cancer care and research outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic
New findings show a significant gap in research funding between high-income and low-/middle-income countries (LMICs), with a majority of LMICS also lacking...

Guy's Cancer Real World Evidence shortlisted for the 2022 HSJ Partnership Awards
Guy’s Cancer Real World Evidence, a collaboration between epidemiologists at King’s and clinicians at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, has been...

Researchers examine how to objectively decide when to treat prostate cancer
A team of researchers from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences are conducting an analysis of the world’s biggest Active Surveillance prostate...

Patients who've lived longer with cancer at greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection
Cancer patients diagnosed more than 24 months ago are more likely to have a severe COVID-19 infection, research has found.

Researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine co-create a global Cancer and COVID-19 taskforce
A global Cancer and COVID-19 taskforce has been created by researchers from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

5 minutes with Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck is a Reader in Cancer Epidemiology in the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. We took 5...

Study identifies medications safe to use in COVID-19 treatment
A recent study has found that there is no evidence for or against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for patients with COVID-19.

Events

Inaugural Lecture: Professors Gudrun Kunst & Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Inspiring talks from some of our brightest minds
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
How I used my King's Service Time: Professor Mieke van Hemelrijck
Professor Mieke van Hemelrijck uses her service time to volunteer as a governor for a school in South East London.

What impact does war have on Ukrainian cancer care?
PROFESSOR RICHARD SULLIVAN: The rapid destruction of infrastructure including hospitals has hugely jeopardised treatment for cancer patients.

My Career Highlights: Professor Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck is a Professor of Cancer Epidemiology within the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She specialises in urological cancers...

Spotlight
How King's continues to tackle cancer and support cancer care and research
Saturday 4 February marks World Cancer Day. In order to honour this key date, we have highlighted some of the most important cancer-themed stories that have...

Spotlight on COVID: Safeguarding high-risk cancer patients
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck discusses how her team are working collaboratively, both nationally and internationally, to safeguard high-risk cancer patients

Research

Translational Oncology and Urology Research
The Translational Oncology and Urology Research (TOUR) team aims to turn science into better healthcare by translating uro-oncology research into medical practice.

Global Oncology Group
The Global Oncology Group brings together global cancer faculty across King’s College London and it’s NHS partner hospitals under Kings’ Health Partners.

Programme in Gastrointestinal Cancer
The Programme in GI Cancer focuses on GI tract diseases, mostly cancer and oesophago-gastric cancer. This group spans a broad field of interests, promoting collaborative working within KCL, nationally and internationally.
News
King's researchers chair session exploring pandemic impact on cancer research priorities
Professors Mieke Van Hemelrijck and Professor Richard Sullivan chaired a highlight session exploring the impact of COVID-19 on cancer research priorities at...

Researchers investigate effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for cancer patients
New research from the COVID-19 and Cancer Global Taskforce compares the COVID-19 vaccine protection across different types of cancers, and highlights new...

Hospital attendance not associated with increased risk of COVID transmission
These results follow from an analysis of asymptomatic, positive COVID-19 cases in cancer patients during the outbreak of the alpha variant, between December...

Significant international divide in cancer care and research outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic
New findings show a significant gap in research funding between high-income and low-/middle-income countries (LMICs), with a majority of LMICS also lacking...

Guy's Cancer Real World Evidence shortlisted for the 2022 HSJ Partnership Awards
Guy’s Cancer Real World Evidence, a collaboration between epidemiologists at King’s and clinicians at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, has been...

Researchers examine how to objectively decide when to treat prostate cancer
A team of researchers from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences are conducting an analysis of the world’s biggest Active Surveillance prostate...

Patients who've lived longer with cancer at greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection
Cancer patients diagnosed more than 24 months ago are more likely to have a severe COVID-19 infection, research has found.

Researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine co-create a global Cancer and COVID-19 taskforce
A global Cancer and COVID-19 taskforce has been created by researchers from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

5 minutes with Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck is a Reader in Cancer Epidemiology in the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. We took 5...

Study identifies medications safe to use in COVID-19 treatment
A recent study has found that there is no evidence for or against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for patients with COVID-19.

Events

Inaugural Lecture: Professors Gudrun Kunst & Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Inspiring talks from some of our brightest minds
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
How I used my King's Service Time: Professor Mieke van Hemelrijck
Professor Mieke van Hemelrijck uses her service time to volunteer as a governor for a school in South East London.

What impact does war have on Ukrainian cancer care?
PROFESSOR RICHARD SULLIVAN: The rapid destruction of infrastructure including hospitals has hugely jeopardised treatment for cancer patients.

My Career Highlights: Professor Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck is a Professor of Cancer Epidemiology within the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She specialises in urological cancers...

Spotlight
How King's continues to tackle cancer and support cancer care and research
Saturday 4 February marks World Cancer Day. In order to honour this key date, we have highlighted some of the most important cancer-themed stories that have...

Spotlight on COVID: Safeguarding high-risk cancer patients
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck discusses how her team are working collaboratively, both nationally and internationally, to safeguard high-risk cancer patients
