SCC (Sofie) van der Zalm MSc

Sofie van der Zalm is a PhD candidate at the chairgroup Nutrition and Disease at Wageningen University & Research. 

Her research focuses on the role of dietary fiber during cancer treatment. Her project aims to elucidate whether dietary fiber can reduce side effects during cancer treatment to improve the outcomes. To answer this question, data of the COLON study, a cohort of over 2000 colorectal cancer patients, as well as data from a cohort in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) will be used. Next to that, she will conduct a clinical trial with dietary fibers in colorectal cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. 

Moreover, she is also interested in which types of dietary fiber and which fiber sources are most promising for reducing side effects. 

Sofie has a background in Nutrition & Health at Wageningen University & Research. After graduating from the MSc Nutrition & Health, she conducted several intervention studies on dietary fiber and gut health in adults and children.