Emile E. Voest

Emile E. Voest, MD, PhD is Medical Director of the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI-AVL) in Amsterdam and Professor of Medical Oncology at Utrecht University. He is a pioneer in demonstrating the clinical utility of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in routine oncology practice and in real-world evidence generation for biomarker-driven therapies. Voest designed and led the WIDE trial (Whole-genome sequencing Informed cancer Diagnosis and treatment Effect), one of the first prospective randomized studies assessing whether whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-guided treatment recommendations improve clinical outcomes versus standard-of-care treatment in patients with advanced solid tumors. His work on patient-derived organoids (PDOs) as functional precision oncology tools—testing drug sensitivity ex vivo to predict patient response—has been internationally influential and has led to multiple clinical trial designs integrating organoid-based biomarker strategies. Voest has also been a key leader in establishing the Hartwig Medical Foundation WGS database, one of the world's largest repositories linking WGS data to clinical outcomes.