Emiel van der Vorst

Post doc

Dr Emiel van der Vorst studied Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine at Maastricht University. After an internship in Sydney, Australia in the lab of Prof. Rye and Prof. Barter, he graduated in 2010. In 2015, he obtained his PhD, under the supervision of Prof. Biessen, Prof. De Winther and Dr Donners at the Department of Pathology, CARIM, Maastricht. The title of his thesis was: 'Modulation of vascular inflammation – cell-type specific effects of ADAMs and HDL'.

During his post-doctoral period (2015-2019) at the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention in the lab of Prof. Weber and Dr Döring, he obtained several personal grants (Humboldt Foundation, FöFoLe, DZHK) to start establishing his own research line. In 2019, he obtained several prestigious personal grants (Veni, IZKF research group grant, Else-Kröner Fresenius), enabling him to start his own group at CARIM and IMCAR (Aachen, Germany). As principle investigator of the Immune-Lipid Crosstalk Research Group, he currently supervises 1 post-doctoral fellow and 3 PhD students.

Dr Van der Vorst focusses on the interplay between lipids and the immune-system in the context of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recently, evidence is mounting, including from his own research that main driving factors of CVD, dyslipidemia and inflammation, are interdependent and that considerable crosstalk exists between these two. Combining his expertise on high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and chemokine receptors, he will investigate the interplay between these two factors. In addition, the interplay of various other lipids and lipid derivatives with key immunological factors will be investigated, hopefully elucidating new therapeutic targets.

Special interest of his research group also goes to a so far fairly neglected subgroup of patients in respect to cardiovascular risk, being chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. It has been clearly shown that CKD patients have a severely increased incidence of CVD, clearly demonstrated by the fact that almost half of the CKD patients die from CVD rather than from the primary kidney disease. Intriguingly, this increased CVD risk in CKD patients cannot be fully explained by the classical CVD risk factors like hypertension or dyslipidemia, suggesting the existence of CKD-specific cardiovascular risk factors. The aim is therefore to explore the role of immune-lipid crosstalk as pathological mechanism in CKD that could contribute to this increased CVD-risk.

Department of Pathology
P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht

  • 2024
    • Döring, Y., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Yan, Y., Neideck, C., Blanchet, X., Jansen, Y., Kemmerich, M., Bayasgalan, S., Peters, L. J. F., Hristov, M., Bidzhekov, K., Yin, C., Zhang, X., Leberzammer, J., Li, Y., Park, I., Kral, M., Nitz, K., Parma, L., ... Weber, C. (2024). Identification of a non-canonical chemokine-receptor pathway suppressing regulatory T cells to drive atherosclerosis. Nature cardiovascular research, 3(2), 221-242. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44161-023-00413-9
    • Christ, A., Maas, S. L., Jin, H., Lu, C., Legein, B., Wijnands, E., Temmerman, L., Otten, J., Isaacs, A., Zenke, M., Stoll, M., Biessen, E. A. L., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2024). In situ lipid-loading activates peripheral dendritic cell subsets characterized by cellular ROS accumulation but compromises their capacity to prime naïve T cells. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 210, 406-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.11.044
  • 2023
    • Kral, M., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Surnov, A., Weber, C., & Doering, Y. (2023). ILC2-mediated immune crosstalk in chronic (vascular) inflammation. Frontiers in Immunology, 14, Article 1326440. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1326440
    • Maas, S., Jin, H., Lu, C., Nagenborg, J., Manca, M., Karel, J., Cavill, R., Sikkink, C., Yu, B., Nadeau, S., Dos Santos, J., Gijbels, M., Mees, B., Smirnov, E., Sluimer, J., Martins, G., Van der Vorst, E., & Biessen, E. (2023). Identification Of A Prdm1-Regulated T-Cell Network Which Controls T-Cell Driven Plaque Inflammation In Human And Mouse Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, 379(S1), S11-S11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.06.914
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Maas, S. L., Theodorou, K., Peters, L. J. F., Jin, H., Rademakers, T., Gijbels, M. J., Rousch, M., Jansen, Y., Weber, C., Lehrke, M., Lebherz, C., Yildiz, D., Ludwig, A., Bentzon, J. F., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2023). Endothelial ADAM10 controls cellular response to oxLDL and its deficiency exacerbates atherosclerosis with intraplaque hemorrhage and neovascularization in mice. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10(1), Article 974918. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.974918
  • 2022
    • Wollenhaupt, J., Frisch, J., Harlacher, E., Wong, D. W. L., Jin, H., Schulte, C., Vondenhoff, S., Moellmann, J., Klinkhammer, B. M., Zhang, L., Baleanu-Curaj, A., Liehn, E. A., Speer, T., Kazakov, A., Werner, C., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Selejan, S.-R., Hohl, M., Böhm, M., ... Noels, H. (2022). Pro-oxidative priming but maintained cardiac function in a broad spectrum of murine models of chronic kidney disease. Redox Biology, 56, Article 102459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2022.102459
    • Heuschkel, M. A., Babler, A., Heyn, J., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Steenman, M., Gesper, M., Kappel, B. A., Magne, D., Gouëffic, Y., Kramann, R., Jahnen-Dechent, W., Marx, N., Quillard, T., & Goettsch, C. (2022). Distinct role of mitochondrial function and protein kinase C in intimal and medial calcification in vitro. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9, Article 959457. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.959457
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Lecour, S. (2022). Finding the culprit for the failure of the immune clock as time goes by. Cardiovascular Research, 118(13), e88-e90. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvac146
    • Ganesh, N., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Spiesshöfer, J., He, S., Burgmaier, M., Findeisen, H., Lehrke, M., Swirski, F. K., Marx, N., & Kahles, F. (2022). Gut immune cells-A novel therapeutical target for cardiovascular disease?Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9, Article 943214. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.943214
    • Jin, H., Maas, S. L., Lu, C., Nagenborg, J., Manca, M., Karel, J. M. H., Cavill, R., Waring, O., Sikkink, C. J. J. M., Mees, B. M. E., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Smirnov, E., Sluimer, J., Van der Vorst, E., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2022). Identification Of Cd8+T Cell Prdm1 In High-Risk Human Plaques And Its Regulatory Role In Murine Lesion Development. Atherosclerosis, 355, E9-E9.
    • Maas, S. L., Jin, H., Lu, C., Nagenborg, J., Manca, M., Karel, J. M. H., Cavill, R., Waring, O., Sikkink, C. J. J. M., Mees, B. M. E., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Smirnov, E., Sluimer, J., van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2022). Identification of CD8+T cell PRDM1 in high-risk human plaques and its regulatory role in murine lesion development. Cardiovascular Research, 118(SUPPL 1). https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvac066.186
    • Gencer, S., Döring, Y., Jansen, Y., Bayasgalan, S., Yan, Y., Bianchini, M., Cimen, I., Müller, M., Peters, L. J. F., Megens, R. T. A., von Hundelshausen, P., Duchene, J., Lemnitzer, P., Soehnlein, O., Weber, C., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2022). Endothelial ACKR3 drives atherosclerosis by promoting immune cell adhesion to vascular endothelium. Basic Research in Cardiology, 117(1), 17. Article 30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-022-00937-4
    • Liu, Y., Shi, J. Z., Jiang, R., Liu, S. F., He, Y. Y., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Weber, C., Doering, Y., & Yan, Y. (2022). Regulatory T Cell-Related Gene Indicators in Pulmonary Hypertension. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, Article 908783. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.908783
    • Evans, B. R., Yerly, A., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Baumgartner, I., Bernhard, S. M., Schindewolf, M., & Döring, Y. (2022). Inflammatory Mediators in Atherosclerotic Vascular Remodeling. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9, Article 868934. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.868934
    • Peters, L. J. F., Baaten, C. C. F. M. J., Maas, S. L., Lu, C., Nagy, M., Jooss, N. J., Bidzhekov, K., Santovito, D., Moreno-Andrés, D., Jankowski, J., Biessen, E. A. L., Döring, Y., Heemskerk, J. W. M., Weber, C., Kuijpers, M. J. E., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2022). MicroRNA-26b Attenuates Platelet Adhesion and Aggregation in Mice. Biomedicines, 10(5), Article 983. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10050983
    • Van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2022). Unwrapped and uNCORked: PPAR-γ repression in atherosclerosis. European Heart Journal, 43(7), E32-E34. Article ehz770. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz770
    • Haghikia, A., Zimmermann, F., Schumann, P., Jasina, A., Roessler, J., Schmidt, D., Heinze, P., Kaisler, J., Nageswaran, V., Aigner, A., Ceglarek, U., Cineus, R., Hegazy, A. N., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Döring, Y., Strauch, C. M., Nemet, I., Tremaroli, V., Dwibedi, C., ... Landmesser, U. (2022). Propionate attenuates atherosclerosis by immune-dependent regulation of intestinal cholesterol metabolism. European Heart Journal, 43(6), 518–533. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab644
    • Kahles, F., Rau, M., Reugels, M., Foldenauer, A. C., Mertens, R. W., Arrivas, M. C., Schroder, J., Idel, P., Moellmann, J., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Marx, N., & Lehrke, M. (2022). The gut hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide is downregulated in response to myocardial injury. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 21(1), Article 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-022-01454-3
    • Soppert, J., Frisch, J., Wirth, J., Hemmers, C., Boor, P., Kramann, R., Vondenhoff, S., Moellmann, J., Lehrke, M., Hohl, M., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Werner, C., Speer, T., Maack, C., Marx, N., Jankowski, J., Roma, L. P., & Noels, H. (2022). A systematic review and meta-analysis of murine models of uremic cardiomyopathy. Kidney International, 101(2), 256-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2021.10.025
    • Tullemans, B. M. E., Fernandez, D. I., Veninga, A., Baaten, C. C. F. M. J., Peters, L. J. F., Aarts, M. J. B., Eble, J. A., Campello, E., Spiezia, L., Simioni, P., van der Vorst, E. P. C., van der Meijden, P. E. J., Heemskerk, J. W. M., & Kuijpers, M. J. E. (2022). Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Sunitinib Delays Platelet-Induced Coagulation: Additive Effects of Aspirin. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 122(01), 92-104. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-1730312
  • 2021
    • He, Y. Y., Xie, X. M., Zhang, H. D., Ye, J., Gencer, S., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doering, Y., Weber, C., Pang, X. B., Jing, Z. C., Yan, Y., & Han, Z. Y. (2021). Corrigendum: Identification of Hypoxia Induced Metabolism Associated Genes in Pulmonary Hypertension. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, Article 810178. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.810178
    • Sundararaman, S. S., Peters, L. J. F., Nazir, S., Marquez, A. B., Bouma, J. E., Bayasgalan, S., Doering, Y., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). PCSK9 Imperceptibly Affects Chemokine Receptor Expression In Vitro and In Vivo. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(23), Article 13026. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222313026
    • He, Y. Y., Xie, X. M., Zhang, H. D., Ye, J., Gencer, S., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doering, Y., Weber, C., Pang, X. B., Jing, Z. C., Yan, Y., & Han, Z. Y. (2021). Identification of Hypoxia Induced Metabolism Associated Genes in Pulmonary Hypertension. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, Article 753727. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.753727
    • Schumacher, D., Liehn, E. A., Singh, A., Curaj, A., Wijnands, E., Lira, S. A., Tacke, F., Jankowski, J., Biessen, E. A. L., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). CCR6 Deficiency Increases Infarct Size after Murine Acute Myocardial Infarction. Biomedicines, 9(11), Article 1532. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9111532
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Pepe, M. A. A., Peters, L. J. F., Haberbosch, M., Jansen, Y., Naumann, R., Stathopoulos, G. T., Weber, C., & Bidzhekov, K. (2021). Correction to: Transcriptome signature of miRNA-26b KO mouse model suggests novel targets. BMC Genomic Data, 22(1), Article 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-021-00990-3
    • Marquez, A. B., van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Maas, S. L. (2021). Key Chemokine Pathways in Atherosclerosis and Their Therapeutic Potential. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(17), Article 3825. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10173825
    • Yan, Y., Thakur, M., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Weber, C., & Doering, Y. (2021). Targeting the chemokine network in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, 330, 95-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.06.912
    • Peters, L. J. F., Jans, A., Bartneck, M., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). Immunomodulatory Nanomedicine for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(14), Article 3185. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10143185
    • Sundararaman, S. S., Doring, Y., & van Der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). PCSK9: A Multi-Faceted Protein That Is Involved in Cardiovascular Biology. Biomedicines, 9(7), Article 793. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9070793
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Pepe, M. A. A., Peters, L. J. F., Haberbosch, M., Jansen, Y., Nauman, R., Stathopoulos, G. T., Weber, C., & Bidzhekov, K. (2021). Transcriptome signature of miRNA-26b KO mouse model suggests novel targets. BMC Genomic Data, 22(1), Article 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-021-00976-1
    • Sundararaman, S. S., Peters, L. J. F., Jansen, Y., Gencer, S., Yan, Y., Nazir, S., Marquez, A. B., Kahles, F., Lehrke, M., Biessen, E. A. L., Jankowski, J., Weber, C., Doering, Y., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). Adipocyte calcium sensing receptor is not involved in visceral adipose tissue inflammation or atherosclerosis development in hyperlipidemic Apoe(-/-) mice. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article 10409. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89893-y
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). c-Kit inhibition: From promising cancer therapy to culprit in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, 324, 115-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.03.029
    • Gencer, S., Doering, Y., Jansen, Y., Bayasgalan, S., Schengel, O., Mueller, M., Peters, L. J. F., Weber, C., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). Adipocyte-Specific ACKR3 Regulates Lipid Levels in Adipose Tissue. Biomedicines, 9(4), Article 394. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9040394
    • Sundararaman, S. S., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). Calcium-Sensing Receptor (CaSR), Its Impact on Inflammation and the Consequences on Cardiovascular Health. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(5), Article 2478. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22052478
    • Gencer, S., Evans, B. R., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doring, Y., & Weber, C. (2021). Inflammatory Chemokines in Atherosclerosis. Cells, 10(2), Article 226. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10020226
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Doering, Y. (2021). Tracing Endothelial CXCR4 May Pave the Way for Localized Lesional Treatment Approaches. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 41(2), 837-838. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.315781
    • Saar-Kovrov, V., Donners, M. M. P. C., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2021). Shedding of Klotho: Functional Implications in Chronic Kidney Disease and Associated Vascular Disease. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 7, Article 617842. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2020.617842
    • Tullemans, B., Karel, M., Léopold, V., ten Brink, M. S., Baaten, C., Maas, S. L., de Vos, A. F., Eble, J. A., Nijziel, M. R., van der Vorst, E., Cosemans, J., Heemskerk, J., Claushuis, T. A. M., & Kuijpers, M. (2021). Comparison of inhibitory effects of irreversible and reversible Btk inhibitors on platelet function. eJHaem, 2(4), 685–699. https://doi.org/10.1002/jha2.269
  • 2020
    • Marquez, A. B., Nazir, S., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2020). High-Density Lipoprotein Modifications: A Pathological Consequence or Cause of Disease Progression?Biomedicines, 8(12), Article 549. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8120549
    • Gencer, S., Lacy, M., Atzler, D., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doering, Y., & Weber, C. (2020). Immunoinflammatory, Thrombohaemostatic, and Cardiovascular Mechanisms in COVID-19. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 120(12), 1629-1641. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1718735
    • Kiouptsi, K., Pontarollo, G., Todorov, H., Braun, J., Jaeckel, S., Koeck, T., Bayer, F., Karwot, C., Karpi, A., Gerber, S., Jansen, Y., Wild, P., Ruf, W., Daiber, A., van der Vorst, E., Weber, C., Doering, Y., & Reinhardt, C. (2020). Germ-free housing conditions do not affect aortic root and aortic arch lesion size of late atherosclerotic low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Gut Microbes, 11(6), 1809-1823. https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2020.1767463
    • Doring, Y., Noels, H., van der Vorst, E., & Weber, C. (2020). Seeing is repairing: how imaging-based timely interference with CXCR4 could improve repair after myocardial infarction. European Heart Journal, 41(37), 3576-3578. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa625
    • Peters, L. J. F., Floege, J., Biessen, E. A. L., Jankowski, J., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2020). MicroRNAs in Chronic Kidney Disease: Four Candidates for Clinical Application. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(18), Article 6547. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21186547
    • Peters, L. J. F., Biessen, E. A. L., Hohl, M., Weber, C., van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Santovito, D. (2020). Small Things Matter: Relevance of MicroRNAs in Cardiovascular Disease. Frontiers in physiology, 11, Article 793. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.00793
    • Doering, Y., Jansen, Y., Cimen, I., Aslani, M., Gencer, S., Peters, L. J. F., Duchene, J., Weber, C., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2020). B-Cell-Specific CXCR4 Protects Against Atherosclerosis Development and Increases Plasma IgM Levels. Circulation Research, 126(6), 787-788. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.316142
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Daissormont, I., Aslani, M., Seijkens, T., Wijnands, E., Lutgens, E., Duchene, J., Santovito, D., Doering, Y., Halvorsen, B., Aukrust, P., Weber, C., Hoepken, U. E., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2020). Interruption of the CXCL13/CXCR5 Chemokine Axis Enhances Plasma IgM Levels and Attenuates Atherosclerosis Development. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 120(2), 344-347. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-3400746
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2020). Letter by van der Vorst et al Regarding Article, "Anti-Inflammatory Effects of HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) in Macrophages Predominate Over Proinflammatory Effects in Atherosclerotic Plaques". Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 40(2), E31-E32. https://doi.org/10.1161/atvbaha.119.313725
    • Tilstam, P., Soppert, J., Hemmers, C., Harlacher, E., Doering, Y., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Schulte, C., Alampour-Rajabi, S., Theelen, W., Asare, Y., de Winther, M. P. J., Lawrence, T., Bernhagen, J., Schober, A., Zernecke, A., Jankowski, J., Weber, C., & Noels, H. (2020). Non-activatable mutant of inhibitor of kappa B kinase α (IKKα) exerts vascular site-specific effects on atherosclerosis in Apoe-deficient mice. Atherosclerosis, 292, 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.10.023