Dr. Julia Houthuijzen is a researcher and team leader at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. She obtained her PhD at the University Medical Center Utrecht in the group of Prof. Emile Voest, where she studied tumor-host interactions that mediate chemotherapy resistance. She subsequently joined the laboratory of Prof. Jos Jonkers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, continuing her research into the role of stromal cells in tumor development, progression, and treatment response. Her research focuses on deciphering epithelial-stromal crosstalk throughout the cancer continuum, with a particular emphasis on invasive lobular breast cancer. Using genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived ex vivo cultures, her team aims to identify new therapeutic opportunities and advance personalized treatment strategies for patients with lobular breast cancer. Julia’s research is supported by the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF), the Dutch Research Council (NWO), the Deborah Mueller Foundation, and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).