Leon Terstappen

Leon Terstappen is a Full Professor of Medical Cell Biophysics. His research focuses on circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles, and liquid biopsy technologies for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. He has pioneered advancements in CTC isolation, enrichment, and analysis, with applications in breast, prostate, and lung cancers. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being.

Key research interests include tumor heterogeneity, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic monitoring. He has received prestigious awards such as the Max Fulwyler Award (2012) and Prix Galien USA (2009). His team develops innovative tools like magnetic microneedles and nanowell platforms for single-cell analysis.

Recent studies explore CTC-tdEV interactions, cell cycle-dependent biomarker secretion, and CCR8 peptide therapies. He actively participates in international conferences and collaborates globally on projects like CANCER-ID and EU GoNano.

Terstappen’s 387+ publications span journals like Lab on a Chip and Cancers, with over 22,000 citations (h-index 61). He has supervised 27 graduate students and contributed to datasets like Zenodo’s colorectal cancer karyotype analysis.