Gerry Nicolaes

Associate professor

Dr Gerry Nicolaes received a Masters’ degree in Chemistry from the Utrecht University with majors in clinical chemistry, biochemistry and protein engineering and enzymology. He obtained a PhD from the Maastricht University on the regulation of thrombin formation in normal and hypercoagulable plasma (with Prof. H.C. Hemker) and later spent several years at the laboratory of Prof. B. Dahlbäck at the Lund University (Sweden), focussing on the use of molecular biological technologies in blood coagulation research.

Dr Nicolaes received a Vidi grant by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) to establish a research line that uses structural bioinformatics to rationally approach the structure-function study of proteins involved in coagulation and inflammation. In addition to protein structure-function research, in recent years, in silico drug design and optimisation of biologically active molecules for use in therapy or diagnosis has become one of the major research focusses.

His research interests are within the fields of thrombosis and haemostasis, and in particular on the overlap with the fields of inflammation and atherosclerosis. In this respect, extracellular histones and their role in systemic inflammatory disease and sepsis have evolved into a major research focus.

He is the president of the Netherlands Society on Biomolecular Modelling. He is coordinator of an EU granted doctoral network focusing on novel diagnostics and therapeutics in the systemic inflammation field. He is (co)-author of over 140 peer-reviewed papers, and has supervised a total of 20 PhD students, 15 of whom have finished their PhD and 5 are ongoing. He is co-inventor of several granted patents.

Department of Biochemistry
Universiteitsingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
Room number: 4.352

  • 2024
    • Bülow Anderberg, S., Huckriede, J., Hultström, M., Larsson, A., de Vries, F., Lipcsey, M., Nicolaes, G. A. F., & Frithiof, R. (2024). Association of corticosteroid therapy with reduced acute kidney injury and lower NET markers in severe COVID-19: an observational study. Intensive Care Medicine Experimental, 12(1), 85. Article 85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40635-024-00670-3
    • Keulen, G. M., Huckriede, J., Wichapong, K., & Nicolaes, G. A. F. (2024). Histon activities in the extracellular environment: regulation and prothrombotic implications. Current Opinion in Hematology, 31(5), 230-237. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOH.0000000000000827
    • Nicolaes, G. A. F., & Soehnlein, O. (2024). Targeting extranuclear histones to alleviate acute and chronic inflammation. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 45(7), 651-662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2024.05.008
    • Singh, A., Kraaijeveld, A. O., Curaj, A., Wichapong, K., Hammerich, L., de Jager, S. C. A., Bot, I., Atamas, S. P., van Berkel, T. J. C., Jukema, J. W., Comerford, I., Mccoll, S. R., Mees, B., Heemskerk, J. W. M., Nicolaes, G. A. F., Hackeng, T., Liehn, E. A., Tacke, F., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2024). CCL18 aggravates atherosclerosis by inducing CCR6-dependent T-cell influx and polarization. Frontiers in Immunology, 15, Article 1327051. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1327051
    • Reutelingsperger, C. P. M., Gijbels, M. J., Spronk, H., Van Oerle, R., Schrijver, R., Ekhart, P., de Kimpe, S., & Nicolaes, G. A. F. (2024). M6229 Protects against Extracellular-Histone-Induced Liver Injury, Kidney Dysfunction, and Mortality in a Rat Model of Acute Hyperinflammation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(3), Article 1376. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031376
    • Arfman, T., Zollet, V., van Es, N., Bosch, F. T. M., Nicolaes, G. A. F., Sorvillo, N., & Voorberg, J. (2024). Elevated levels of citrullinated fibrinogen in patients with cancer. eJHaem, 5(1), 136-140. https://doi.org/10.1002/jha2.825
    • Guerkan, B., Poelman, H., Pereverzeva, L., Kruijswijk, D., de Vos, A. F., Groenen, A. G., Nollet, E. E., Wichapong, K., Lutgens, E., van der Poll, T., Du, J., Wiersinga, W. J., Nicolaes, G. A. F., & van 't Veer, C. (2024). The IRAK-M death domain: a tale of three surfaces. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, 10, Article 1265455. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2023.1265455
  • 2023
    • Huckriede, J. B., Beurskens, D. M. H., Wildhagen, K. C. C. A., Reutelingsperger, C. P. M., Wichapong, K., & Nicolaes, G. A. F. (2023). Design and characterization of novel activated protein C variants for the proteolysis of cytotoxic extracellular histone H3. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 21(12), 3557-3567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtha.2023.08.023
    • de Vries, F., Huckriede, J., Wichapong, K., Reutelingsperger, C., & Nicolaes, G. A. F. (2023). The role of extracellular histones in COVID-19. Journal of Internal Medicine, 293(3), 275-292. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13585
    • Pavlic, A., Poelman, H., Wasilewski, G., Wichapong, K., Lux, P., Maassen, C., Lutgens, E., Schurgers, L. J., Reutelingsperger, C. P., & Nicolaes, G. A. F. (2023). Inhibition of Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 by Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors Results in Decreased Release of Extracellular Vesicles by Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Attenuated Calcification. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(3), Article 2027. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032027