Rory Koenen

Professor

Dr Rory  Koenen studied biochemistry in Sittard (BSc) and at the Radboud University in Nijmegen (MSc), the Netherlands from 1993-1999. He completed his PhD in cardiovascular sciences at CARIM Maastricht University in 2005. He then worked in Germany at IMCAR, RWTH Aachen University until 2010 and then moved to IPEK at the LMU in Munich chaired by Christian Weber. In 2012, he returned to CARIM as the recipient of a Vidi grant.

Dr Koenen is currently investigating the functions of platelets beyond hemostasis, platelet microvesicles and the role of particular inflammatory molecules in vascular disease e.g. thrombosis and atherosclerosis. For example, he aims to characterise the molecular aspects of chemokine RANTES and platelet factor 4 secretion from platelets and its importance in the development of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, Dr Koenen is interested in the role of cell adhesion molecules in platelet function and in how platelets maintain interactions with other cell types (leukocytes, endothelial and smooth muscle cells). Finally, Dr Koenen investigates how platelets and their microvesicles can influence the behavior and phenotype of these cells.

As of 1 March 2023, Prof. Koenen holds a professorship of Vascular Inflammation and Thrombosis.

Department of Biochemistry
Universiteitsingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
Room number: 4.366a
T: +31(0)43 388 33 90

  • 2023
    • Schönichen, C., Montague, S. J., Brouns, S. L. N., Burston, J. J., Cosemans, J. M. E. M., Jurk, K., Kehrel, B. E., Koenen, R. R., Ní Áinle, F., O'Donnell, V. B., Soehnlein, O., Watson, S. P., Kuijpers, M. J. E., Heemskerk, J. W. M., & Nagy, M. (2023). Antagonistic Roles of Human Platelet Integrin aIIbβ3 and Chemokines in Regulating Neutrophil Activation and Fate on Arterial Thrombi Under Flow. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 43(9), 1700-1712. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.122.318767
    • Thomassen, M. C. L. G. D., Bouwens, B. R. C., Wichapong, K., Suylen, D. P., Bouwman, F. G., Hackeng, T. M., & Koenen, R. R. (2023). Protein arginine deiminase 4 inactivates tissue factor pathway inhibitor-alpha by enzymatic modification of functional arginine residues. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 21(5), 1214-1226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtha.2023.01.017
    • de Winther, M. P. J., Bäck, M., Evans, P., Gomez, D., Goncalves, I., Jørgensen, H. F., Koenen, R. R., Lutgens, E., Norata, G. D., Osto, E., Dib, L., Simons, M., Stellos, K., Ylä-Herttuala, S., Winkels, H., Bochaton-Piallat, M.-L., & Monaco, C. (2023). Translational opportunities of single-cell biology in atherosclerosis. European Heart Journal, 44(14), 1216-1230. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac686
    • Koenen, R. R. (2023). Platelets: from simple fragments to inflammation regulators. European Heart Journal, 44(8), 633-635. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac705
  • 2022
    • Brandhofer, M., Hoffmann, A., Blanchet, X., Siminkovitch, E., Rohlfing, A. K., El Bounkari, O., Nestele, J. A., Bild, A., Kontos, C., Hille, K., Rohde, V., Froehlich, A., Golemi, J., Gokce, O., Krammer, C., Scheiermann, P., Tsilimparis, N., Sachs, N., Kempf, W. E., ... Bernhagen, J. (2022). Heterocomplexes between the atypical chemokine MIF and the CXC-motif chemokine CXCL4L1 regulate inflammation and thrombus formation. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79(10), Article 512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-022-04539-0
    • Sanjurjo, L., Broekhuizen, E. C., Koenen, R. R., & Thijssen, V. L. J. L. (2022). Galectokines: The Promiscuous Relationship between Galectins and Cytokines. Biomolecules, 12(9), Article 1286. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12091286
    • Karel, M. F. A., Roosen, M. G. C. H., Tullemans, B. M. E., Zhang, C. E., Staals, J., Cosemans, J. M. E. M., & Koenen, R. R. (2022). Characterization of cerebral small vessel disease by neutrophil and platelet activation markers using artificial intelligence. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 367, Article 577863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2022.577863
    • Dickhout, A., van de Vijver, P., Bitsch, N., van Hoof, S. J., Thomassen, S. L. G. D., Massberg, S., Timmerman, P., Verhaegen, F., Koenen, R. R., Dijkgraaf, I., & Hackeng, T. M. (2022). Molecular Detection of Venous Thrombosis in Mouse Models Using SPECT/CT. Biomolecules, 12(6), Article 829. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12060829
    • Lemmens, T. P., Coenen, D. M., Swieringa, F., Niessen, I. C. L., Coort, S. L. M., Koenen, R. R., Kutmon, M., & Cosemans, J. M. E. M. (2022). Finding the "switch" in platelet activation: prediction of key mediators involved in reversal of platelet activation using a novel network biology approach. Journal of Proteomics, 261, Article 104577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104577
    • Koenen, M. T., Brandt, E. F., Kaczor, D. M., Caspers, T., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Fischer, P., Heinrichs, D., Wirtz, T. H., Trautwein, C., Koenen, R. R., & Berres, M.-L. (2022). Extracellular Vesicles from Steatotic Hepatocytes Provoke Pro-Fibrotic Responses in Cultured Stellate Cells. Biomolecules, 12(5), Article 698. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12050698
    • Brozat, J. F., Brandt, E. F., Stark, M., Fischer, P., Wirtz, T. H., Flaßhove, A., Rodenhausen, A. N., Vajen, T., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Schmitz, S. M.-T., Abu Jhaisha, S., Röth, A. A., Koenen, R. R., Sahin, H., Trautwein, C., & Berres, M.-L. (2022). JAM-A is a multifaceted regulator in hepatic fibrogenesis, supporting LSEC integrity and stellate cell quiescence. Liver International, 42(5), 1185-1203. https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.15187
    • Koenen, R. R., & Weber, C. (2022). Jam-A Unleashed Incites Thromboinflammatory Coronary Artery Disease. JACC: Basic to Translational Science, 7(5), 462-464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacbts.2022.03.014
    • Kaczor, D. M., Kramann, R., Hackeng, T. M., Schurgers, L. J., & Koenen, R. R. (2022). Differential Effects of Platelet Factor 4 (CXCL4) and Its Non-Allelic Variant (CXCL4L1) on Cultured Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(2), Article 580. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23020580
  • 2021
    • Sanjurjo, L., Schulkens, I. A., Touarin, P., Heusschen, R., Aanhane, E., Castricum, K. C. M., De Gruijl, T. D., Nilsson, U. J., Leffler, H., Griffioen, A. W., Elantak, L., Koenen, R. R., & Thijssen, V. L. J. L. (2021). Chemokines modulate glycan binding and the immunoregulatory activity of galectins. Communications Biology, 4(1), Article 1415. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02922-4
    • Heinzmann, A. C. A., Coenen, D. M., Vajen, T., Cosemans, J. M. E. M., & Koenen, R. R. (2021). Combined Antiplatelet Therapy Reduces the Proinflammatory Properties of Activated Platelets. TH open : companion journal to thrombosis and haemostasis, 5(4), e533-e542. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1682-3415
    • Coenen, D. M., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Oggero, S., Albers, H. J., Nagy, M., Hague, P., Kuijpers, M. J. E., Vanderwinden, J. M., van der Meer, A. D., Perretti, M., Koenen, R. R., & Cosemans, J. M. E. M. (2021). Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase 3A by Cilostazol Dampens Proinflammatory Platelet Functions. Cells, 10(8), Article 1998. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10081998
    • Dickhout, A., Kaczor, D. M., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Brouns, S. L. N., Heemskerk, J. W. M., van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., & Koenen, R. R. (2021). Rapid Internalization and Nuclear Translocation of CCL5 and CXCL4 in Endothelial Cells. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(14), Article 7332. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22147332
    • Koenen, R. R. (2021). Conformation-Crooking CXCL4 to Unravel Autoimmune Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 121(03), 258-260. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1721774
    • Coenen, D. M., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Karel, M. F. A., Cosemans, J. M. E. M., & Koenen, R. R. (2021). The multifaceted contribution of platelets in the emergence and aftermath of acute cardiovascular events. Atherosclerosis, 319, 132-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.12.017
    • Dickhout, A., Tullemans, B. M. E., Heemskerk, J. W. M., Thijssen, V. L. J. L., Kuijpers, M. J. E., & Koenen, R. R. (2021). Galectin-1 and platelet factor 4 (CXCL4) induce complementary platelet responses in vitro. PLOS ONE, 16(1), Article 0244736. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244736
  • 2020
    • Denisov, S. S., Ramirez-Escudero, M., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Ippel, J. H., Dawson, P. E., Koenen, R. R., Hackeng, T. M., Janssen, B. J. C., & Dijkgraaf, I. (2020). Structural characterization of anti-CCL5 activity of the tick salivary protein evasin-4. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295(42), 14367-14378. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA120.013891
    • Heinzmann, A. C. A., Karel, M. F. A., Coenen, D. M., Vajen, T., Meulendijks, N. M. M., Nagy, M., Suylen, D. P. L., Cosemans, J. M. E. M., Heemskerk, J. W. M., Hackeng, T. M., & Koenen, R. R. (2020). Complementary roles of platelet αIIbβ3 integrin, phosphatidylserine exposure and cytoskeletal rearrangement in the release of extracellular vesicles. Atherosclerosis, 310, 17-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.07.015
    • Koenen, R. R., & Binder, C. J. (2020). Platelets and coagulation factors: Established and novel roles in atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis. Atherosclerosis, 307, 78-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.07.008
    • Benedikter, B. J., & Koenen, R. R. (2020). Vaping, vapor, vesicles! Electronic cigarettes provoke vascular extracellular vesicle release in healthy volunteers. Atherosclerosis, 301, 79-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.03.012
    • Denisov, S. S., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Vajen, T., Vries, M. H. M., Megens, R. T. A., Suylen, D., Koenen, R. R., Post, M. J., Ippel, J. H., Hackeng, T. M., & Dijkgraaf, I. (2020). Tick Saliva Protein Evasin-3 Allows for Visualization of Inflammation in Arteries through Interactions with CXC-Type Chemokines Deposited on Activated Endothelium. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 31(3), 948-955. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00095
  • 2019
    • Denisov, S. S., Ippel, J. H., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Koenen, R. R., Ortega-Gomez, M., Soehnlein, O., Hackeng, T. M., & Dijkgraaf, I. (2019). Tick saliva protein Evasin-3 modulates chemotaxis by disrupting CXCL8 interactions with glycosaminoglycans and CXCR2. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 294(33), 12370-12379. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA119.008902
    • Koenen, R. R. (2019). Lysophosphatidylcholine in Platelet Microvesicles: The Grease for Cardiovascular Disease. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 119(8), 1202-1204. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1693024
    • Noels, H., Weber, C., & Koenen, R. R. (2019). Chemokines as Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Disease The Road Behind, The Road Ahead. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 39(4), 583-592. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.312037
    • Koenen, R. R. (2019). No hearty reception: infusion of CXCL4 impedes tissue repair by macrophages after myocardial infarction. Cardiovascular Research, 115(2), 264-265. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvy241
    • Benedikter, B. J., Bouwman, F. G., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Vajen, T., Mariman, E. C., Wouters, E. F. M., Savelkoul, P. H. M., Koenen, R. R., Rohde, G. G. U., van Oerle, R., Spronk, H. M., & Stassen, F. R. M. (2019). Proteomic analysis reveals procoagulant properties of cigarette smoke-induced extracellular vesicles. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 8(1), Article 1585163. https://doi.org/10.1080/20013078.2019.1585163
  • 2018
    • Koenen, R. R., & Aikawa, E. (2018). Editorial: Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Processes in Cardiovascular Diseases. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 5, Article 133. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2018.00133
    • Dickhout, A., & Koenen, R. R. (2018). Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Disease; Chances and Risks. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 5, Article 113. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2018.00113
    • Vajen, T., Koenen, R. R., Werner, I., Staudt, M., Projahn, D., Curaj, A., Sonmez, T. T., Simsekyilmaz, S., Schumacher, D., Mollmann, J., Hackeng, T. M., von Hundelshausen, P., Weber, C., & Liehn, E. A. (2018). Blocking CCL5-CXCL4 heteromerization preserves heart function after myocardial infarction by attenuating leukocyte recruitment and NETosis. Scientific Reports, 8, Article 10647. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29026-0
    • Schurgers, L. J., Akbulut, A. C., Kaczor, D. M., Halder, M., Koenen, R. R., & Kramann, R. (2018). Initiation and Propagation of Vascular Calcification Is Regulated by a Concert of Platelet- and Smooth Muscle Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 5, Article 36. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2018.00036
    • Vajen, T., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Dickhout, A., Zhao, Z., Nagy, M., Heemskerk, J. W. M., & Koenen, R. R. (2018). Laminar Flow-based Assays to Investigate Leukocyte Recruitment on Cultured Vascular Cells and Adherent Platelets. Journal of visualized experiment, (134), Article e57009. https://doi.org/10.3791/57009
    • Spronk, H. M. H., Padro, T., Siland, J. E., Prochaska, J. H., Winters, J., van der Wal, A. C., Posthuma, J. J., Lowe, G., d'Alessandro, E., Wenzel, P., Coenen, D. M., Reitsma, P. H., Ruf, W., van Gorp, R. H., Koenen, R. R., Vajen, T., Alshaikh, N. A., Wolberg, A. S., Macrae, F. L., ... ten Cate, H. (2018). Atherothrombosis and Thromboembolism: Position Paper from the Second Maastricht Consensus Conference on Thrombosis. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 118(2), 229-250. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH17-07-0492
    • Curaj, A., Wu, Z., Rix, A., Gresch, O., Sternkopf, M., Alampour-Rajabi, S., Lammers, T., van Zandvoort, M., Weber, C., Koenen, R. R., Liehn, E. A., & Kiessling, F. (2018). Molecular Ultrasound Imaging of Junctional Adhesion Molecule A Depicts Acute Alterations in Blood Flow and Early Endothelial Dysregulation. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 38(1), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.117.309503
  • 2017
    • Benedikter, B. J., Bouwman, F. G., Vajen, T., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Grauls, G., Mariman, E. C., Wouters, E. F. M., Savelkoul, P. H., Lopez-Iglesias, C., Koenen, R. R., Rohde, G. G. U., & Stassen, F. R. M. (2017). Ultrafiltration combined with size exclusion chromatography efficiently isolates extracellular vesicles from cell culture media for compositional and functional studies. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 15297. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15717-7
    • Zhao, Z., Vajen, T., Karshovska, E., Dickhout, A., Schmitt, M. M., Megens, R. T. A., von Hundelshausen, P., Koeppel, T. A., Hackeng, T. M., Weber, C., & Koenen, R. R. (2017). Deletion of junctional adhesion molecule A from platelets increases early-stage neointima formation after wire injury in hyperlipidemic mice. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 21(8), 1523-1531. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.13083
    • Vajen, T., Benedikter, B. J., Heinzmann, A. C. A., Vasina, E. M., Henskens, Y., Parsons, M., Maguire, P. B., Stassen, F. R., Heemskerk, J. W. M., Schurgers, L. J., & Koenen, R. R. (2017). Platelet extracellular vesicles induce a pro-inflammatory smooth muscle cell phenotype. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 6(1), Article 1322454. https://doi.org/10.1080/20013078.2017.1322454
    • von Hundelshausen, P., Agten, S. M., Eckardt, V., Blanchet, X., Schmitt, M. M., Ippel, H., Neideck, C., Bidzhekov, K., Leberzammer, J., Wichapong, K., Faussner, A., Drechsler, M., Grommes, J., van Geffen, J. P., Li, H., Ortega-Gomez, A., Megens, R. T. A., Naumann, R., Dijkgraaf, I., ... Weber, C. (2017). Chemokine interactome mapping enables tailored intervention in acute and chronic inflammation. Science Translational Medicine, 9(384), Article eaah6650. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aah6650
    • Koenen, R. (2017). Extrazelluläre Vesikel im Blut: Der verlängerte Arm der Blutplättchen. Trillium Diagnostik, 15(4), 256-258. https://www.trillium.de/zeitschriften/trillium-diagnostik/trillium-diagnostik-ausgaben-2017/td-42017/schwerpunkt/extrazellulaere-vesikel-der-verlaengerte-arm-der-blutplaettchen.html?L=0
  • 2016
    • Agten, S. M., Koenen, R. R., Ippel, H., Eckardt, V., von Hundelshausen, P., Mayo, K. H., Weber, C., & Hackeng, T. M. (2016). Probing Functional Heteromeric Chemokine Protein-Protein Interactions through Conformation-Assisted Oxime Ligation. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 55(48), 14963-14966. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201607036
    • Regn, M., Laggerbauer, B., Jentzsch, C., Ramanujam, D., Ahles, A., Sichler, S., Calzada-Wack, J., Koenen, R. R., Braun, A., Nieswandt, B., & Engelhardt, S. (2016). Peptidase inhibitor 16 is a membrane-tethered regulator of chemerin processing in the myocardium. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 99, 57-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2016.08.010
    • Koenen, R. R. (2016). The prowess of platelets in immunity and inflammation. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 116(4), 605-612. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH16-04-0300
  • 2015
    • Medina, I., Cougoule, C., Drechsler, M., Bermudez, B., Koenen, R. R., Sluimer, J., Wolfs, I., Doering, Y., Herias, V., Gijbels, M., Bot, I., de Jager, S. C. A., Weber, C., Cleutjens, J., van Berkel, T. J. C., Sikkink, K.-J., Mocsai, A., Maridonneau-Parini, I., Soehnlein, O., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2015). Hck/Fgr Kinase Deficiency Reduces Plaque Growth and Stability by Blunting Monocyte Recruitment and Intraplaque Motility. Circulation, 132(6), 490-501. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.012316
    • Vajen, T., Mause, S. F., & Koenen, R. R. (2015). Microvesicles from platelets: novel drivers of vascular inflammation. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 114(2), 228-236. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH14-11-0962
    • Karshovska, E., Zhao, Z., Blanchet, X., Schmitt, M. M. N., Bidzhekov, K., Soehnlein, O., von Hundelshausen, P., Mattheij, N. J., Cosemans, J. M. E. M., Megens, R. T. A., Koeppel, T. A., Schober, A., Hackeng, T. M., Weber, C., & Koenen, R. R. (2015). Hyperreactivity of Junctional Adhesion Molecule A-Deficient Platelets Accelerates Atherosclerosis in Hyperlipidemic Mice. Circulation Research, 116(4), 587-599. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.304035
  • 2014
    • Blanchet, X., Cesarek, K., Brandt, J., Herwald, H., Teupser, D., Kuechenhoff, H., Karshovska, E., Mause, S. F., Siess, W., Wasmuth, H., Soehnlein, O., Koenen, R. R., Weber, C., & von Hundelshausen, P. (2014). Inflammatory role and prognostic value of platelet chemokines in acute coronary syndrome. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 112(6), 1277-1287. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH14-02-0139