Inaugural lecture prof.dr. J.J.C. Verhoeff 14 March 2025 15:45 - 17:15

The power of precision, the value of contact: The Human Measure in radiotherapy

Radiotherapy saves lives, but it is not just about precision and technology. The human touch—the patient experience, the dialogue between healthcare providers and the balance between innovation and empathy—is essential. In his inaugural lecture, professor of radiotherapy Joost Verhoeff shows how we can ensure that technological progress goes hand in hand with personal care, so that the patient always remains central.

If someone has cancer, radiation can help shrink or make the tumor disappear. We have great technology today to do this very precisely, but increased technical complexity sometimes makes the experience more impersonal. Verhoeff investigates how we can ensure that radiotherapy and the processes surrounding it not only improve technically, but that the human touch is also maintained. This means more attention to how patients experience the treatment and how doctors and technology can work together better to help not only the disease, but also people.