Paola van der Meijden

Assistant Professor

Initially trained in Biological Health Sciences at Maastricht University, Dr Paola van der Meijden has obtained a PhD in Biochemistry on the interaction mechanisms of platelets and coagulation; focus on P2Y₁₂receptor and factor XII.

In 2010, she acquired a unique bridging position, encapsulated within the Maastricht Thrombosis Expertise Center (TEC), aiming to link basic research on thrombosis and hemostasis with clinical research and applications. In 2014, she received the ISTH-EHA Fellowship to gain new insights into the determinants of bleeding in patients with thrombocytopenia due to hematological malignancies and chemotherapy. The focus of her current work is on the interactions between platelets and coagulation in acquired hemostatic dysfunction as a consequence of disease and treatment. She has a special interest in the negative and positive priming of platelets and the functional specialisation of platelet populations. Overall, knowledge on the factors contributing to hemostasis and thrombosis enables the development of predictive and diagnostic tests, resulting in improved disease management.