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Professorship Julie Staals

Professorship Julie Staals

22 April 2024

Dr Julie Staals (Dept. of Neurology) has been appointed as professor 'Neurovascular disease' as of 1 April 2024.

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ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Prof. Andy Baker

ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Prof. Andy Baker

15 April 2024

Prof. Andy Baker (Dept of Pathology) has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant of €2,5M for his research project PolymiRize: Poly-miRNA targeting to prevent and reverse complex tissue remodelling after acute cardiovascular events'.

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

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.

Emiel-van-der-vorst

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

  • 2020
    • Nazir, S., Jankowski, V., Bender, G., Zewinger, S., Rye, K.-A., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2020). Interaction between high-density lipoproteins and inflammation: Function matters more than concentration!Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 159, 94-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2020.10.006
  • 2019
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2019). ADAM8 in the cardiovascular system: An innocent bystander with clinical use?Atherosclerosis, 286, 147-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.04.205
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Peters, L. J. F., Mueller, M., Gencer, S., Yan, Y., Weber, C., & Döring , Y. (2019). G-Protein Coupled Receptor Targeting on Myeloid Cells in Atherosclerosis. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10, Article 531. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2019.00531
    • Gencer, S., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Aslani, M., Weber, C., Döring, Y., & Duchene, J. (2019). Atypical Chemokine Receptors in Cardiovascular Disease. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 119(4), 534-541. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1676988
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Mandl, M., Mueller, M., Neideck, C., Jansen, Y., Hristov, M., Gencer, S., Peters, L. J. F., Meiler, S., Feld, M., Geiselhoeringer, A.-L., de Jong, R. J., Ohnmacht, C., Noels, H., Soehnlein, O., Drechsler, M., Weber, C., & Doering, Y. (2019). Hematopoietic ChemR23 (Chemerin Receptor 23) Fuels Atherosclerosis by Sustaining an M1 Macrophage-Phenotype and Guidance of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells to Murine Lesions-Brief Report. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 39(4), 685-693. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.312386
    • Döring, Y., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Duchene, J., Jansen, Y., Gencer, S., Bidzhekov, K., Atzler, D., Santovito, D., Rader, D. J., Saleheen, D., & Weber, C. (2019). CXCL12 Derived From Endothelial Cells Promotes Atherosclerosis to Drive Coronary Artery Disease. Circulation, 139(10), 1338-1340. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.037953
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., & Weber, C. (2019). Novel Features of Monocytes and Macrophages in Cardiovascular Biology and Disease. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 39(2), E30-E37. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.312002
    • Kiouptsi, K., Jaeckel, S., Pontarollo, G., Grill, A., Kuijpers, M. J. E., Wilms, E., Weber, C., Sommer, F., Nagy, M., Neideck, C., Jansen, Y., Ascher, S., Formes, H., Karwot, C., Bayer, F., Kollar, B., Subramaniam, S., Molitor, M., Wenzel, P., ... Reinhardt, C. (2019). The Microbiota Promotes Arterial Thrombosis in Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Deficient Mice. Mbio, 10(5), Article e02298-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02298-19
  • 2018
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Weber, C., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2018). A Disintegrin and Metalloproteases (ADAMs) in Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases: Aspects for Theranostic Approaches. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 118(7), 1167-1175. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1660479
  • 2017
    • Theodorou, K., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Gijbels, M. J., Wolfs, I. M. J., Jeurissen, M., Theelen, T. L., Sluimer, J. C., Wijnands, E., Cleutjens, J. P., Li, Y., Jansen, Y., Weber, C., Ludwig, A., Bentzon, J. F., Bartsch, J. W., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2017). Whole body and hematopoietic ADAM8 deficiency does not influence advanced atherosclerotic lesion development, despite its association with human plaque progression. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 11670. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-10549-x
    • Doring, Y., Noels, H., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Neideck, C., Egea, V., Drechsler, M., Mandl, M., Pawig, L., Jansen, Y., Schroeder, K., Bidzhekov, K., Megens, R. T. A., Theelen, W., Klinkhammer, B. M., Boor, P., Schurgers, L., van Gorp, R., Ries, C., Kusters, P. J. H., ... Weber, C. (2017). Vascular CXCR4 Limits Atherosclerosis by Maintaining Arterial Integrity Evidence From Mouse and Human Studies. Circulation, 136(4), 388-403. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.027646
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Theodorou, K., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2017). Disease- or Storage-Associated Structural Modifications Are Unlikely to Explain HDL Pro-inflammatory Effects on Macrophages. Cell Metabolism, 26(1), 4-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2017.05.017
    • Weber, C., Badimon, L., Mach, F., & van der Vorst, E. P. C. (2017). Therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis: Past, present and future. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 117(7), 1258-1264. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH16-10-0814
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Maas, S. L., Ortega-Gomez, A., Hameleers, J. M. M., Bianchini, M., Asare, Y., Soehnlein, O., Döring, Y., Weber, C., & Megens, R. T. A. (2017). Functional Imaging of Arterial Cellular Recruitment and Lipid Extravasation. Bio-protocol, 7(12). https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.2344
    • Rademakers, T., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Daissormont, I. T. M. N., Otten, J. J. T., Theodorou, K., Theelen, T. L., Gijbels, M., Anisimov, A., Nurmi, H., Lindeman, J. H. N., Schober, A., Heeneman, S., Alitalo, K., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2017). Adventitial lymphatic capillary expansion impacts on plaque T cell accumulation in atherosclerosis. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 45263. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45263
    • Hyafil, F., Pelisek, J., Laitinen, I., Schottelius, M., Mohring, M., Doering, Y., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Kallmayer, M., Steiger, K., Poschenrieder, A., Notni, J., Fischer, J., Baumgartner, C., Rischpler, C., Nekolla, S. G., Weber, C., Eckstein, H.-H., Wester, H.-J., & Schwaiger, M. (2017). Imaging the Cytokine Receptor CXCR4 in Atherosclerotic Plaques with the Radiotracer (68)Ga-Pentixafor for PET. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 58(3), 499-506. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.116.179663
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Zhao, Z., Rami, M., Holdt, L. M., Teupser, D., Steffens, S., & Weber, C. (2017). Contrasting effects of myeloid and endothelial ADAM17 on atherosclerosis development. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 117(3), 644-646. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH16-09-0674
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Theodorou, K., Wu, Y., Hoeksema, M. A., Goossens, P., Bursill, C. A., Aliyev, T., Huitema, L. F. A., Tas, S. W., Wolfs, I. M. J., Kuijpers, M. J. E., Gijbels, M. J., Schalkwijk, C. G., Koonen, D. P. Y., Abdollahi-Roodsaz, S., McDaniels, K., Wang, C.-C., Leitges, M., Lawrence, T., ... Donners, M. M. P. C. (2017). High-Density Lipoproteins Exert Pro-inflammatory Effects on Macrophages via Passive Cholesterol Depletion and PKC-NF-kappa B/STAT1-IRF1 Signaling. Cell Metabolism, 25(1), 197-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.10.013
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Theodorou, K., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2017). HDL and macrophages: explaining the clinical failures and advancing HDL-based therapeutics in cardiovascular diseases?Expert review of cardiovascular therapy, 15(5), 343-344. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779072.2017.1313115
  • 2016
    • Chubanov, V., Ferioli, S., Wisnowsky, A., Simmons, D. G., Leitzinger, C., Einer, C., Jonas, W., Shymkiv, Y., Bartsch, H., Braun, A., Akdogan, B., Mittermeier, L., Sytik, L., Torben, F., Jurinovic, V., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Weber, C., Yildirim, O. A., Sotlar, K., ... Gudermann, T. (2016). Epithelial magnesium transport by TRPM6 is essential for prenatal development and adult survival. Elife, 5, Article e20914. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20914
  • 2015
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doering, Y., & Weber, C. (2015). Chemokines. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 35(11), E52-E56. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.115.306359
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doring, Y., & Weber, C. (2015). Chemokines and their receptors in Atherosclerosis. Journal of Molecular Medicine, 93(9), 963-971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-015-1317-8
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Doering, Y., & Weber, C. (2015). MIF and CXCL12 in cardiovascular diseases: functional differences and similarities. Frontiers in Immunology, 6, Article 373. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2015.00373
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Jeurissen, M., Wolfs, I. M. J., Keijbeck, A., Theodorou, K., Wijnands, E., Schurgers, L., Weber, S., Gijbels, M. J., Hamers, A. A. J., Dreymueller, D., Rose-John, S., de Winther, M. P. J., Ludwig, A., Saftig, P., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2015). Myeloid A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Domain 10 Deficiency Modulates Atherosclerotic Plaque Composition by Shifting the Balance from Inflammation toward Fibrosis. American Journal of Pathology, 185(4), 1145-1155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.11.028
  • 2014
    • Burgmaier, M., Schutters, K., Willems, B., Van der Vorst, E. P. C., Kusters, D., Chatrou, M., Norling, L., Biessen, E. A. L., Cleutjens, J., Perretti, M., Schurgers, L. J., & Reutelingsperger, C. (2014). AnxA5 reduces plaque inflammation of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in apoE(-/-) mice. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 18(10), 2117-2124. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.12374
    • Pruessmeyer, J., Hess, F. M., Alert, H., Groth, E., Pasqualon, T., Schwarz, N., Nyamoya, S., Kollert, J., van der Vorst, E., Donners, M., Martin, C., Uhlig, S., Saftig, P., Dreymueller, D., & Ludwig, A. (2014). Leukocytes require ADAM10 but not ADAM17 for their migration and inflammatory recruitment into the alveolar space. Blood, 123(26), 4077-4088. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2013-09-511543
    • Wolfs, I. M. J., Stoger, J. L., Goossens, P., Pottgens, C., Gijbels, M. J. J., Wijnands, E., van der Vorst, E. P. C., van Gorp, P., Beckers, L., Engel, D., Biessen, E. A. L., Kraal, G., van Die, I., Donners, M. M. P. C., & de Winther, M. P. J. (2014). Reprogramming macrophages to an anti-inflammatory phenotype by helminth antigens reduces murine atherosclerosis. Faseb Journal, 28(1), 288-299. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.13-235911
  • 2013
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Vanags, L. Z., Dunn, L. L., Prosser, H. C., Rye, K.-A., & Bursill, C. A. (2013). High-density lipoproteins suppress chemokine expression and proliferation in human vascular smooth muscle cells. Faseb Journal, 27(4), 1413-1425. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.12-212753
  • 2012
    • van der Vorst, E. P. C., Keijbeck, A. A., de Winther, M. P. J., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2012). A disintegrin and metalloproteases: Molecular scissors in angiogenesis, inflammation and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, 224(2), 302-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.04.023
    • Donners, M. M. P. C., Wolfs, I. M. J., Stoger, L. J., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Pottgens, C. C. H., Heymans, S., Schroen, B., Gijbels, M. J. J., & de Winther, M. P. J. (2012). Hematopoietic miR155 Deficiency Enhances Atherosclerosis and Decreases Plaque Stability in Hyperlipidemic Mice. PLOS ONE, 7(4), Article e35877. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0035877
Overview