Ivo Touw studied Biology at the University of Amsterdam and received his PhD degree from the Erasmus University Rotterdam. In 1999, he was appointed full professor at the Department of Hematology at the Erasmus University Medical Center. His major research interests include the molecular and cellular aspects of acute myeloid leukemia and leukemia predisposition syndromes such as myelodysplasia and severe congenital neutropenia (SCN), with emphasis on signaling mechanisms controlling myeloid differentiation. His scientific achievements include the discovery of nonsense mutations in the receptor for G-CSF (CSF3R) and their leukemia-predisposing nature in SCN, G-CSF receptor signaling function in relation to endocytotic trafficking and dissection of critical mechanisms involved herein, and the discovery of (epi)genetic defects associated with leukemic progression of SCN and other leukemia predisposition syndromes. For this work, he received the Ham-Wasserman Lecture Award from the American Society of Hematology.