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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

Jordi Heijman

Associate professor

Dr Jordi Heijman studied Knowledge Engineering and obtained his PhD cum laude (a distinction awarded to only 5% of PhDs in the Netherlands) in April 2012, for his work on a joint project between the Dept. of Cardiology and the Dept. of Data Science and Knowledge Engineering at Maastricht University. As part of his PhD, he spent 1.5 years at the renowned Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University in St. Louis, USA under the supervision of Prof. Yoram Rudy. After completing his PhD, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, and the Institute of Pharmacology, University Duisburg-Essen with Prof. Dobromir Dobrev. In April 2015, he was recruited back to Maastricht University to strengthen the translational axis between CARIM and the Maastricht UMC+ Heart+Vascular Center for their strategic focus area ‘cardiac arrhythmias’. He is currently working as an associate professor at the Department of Cardiology.

Jordi’s research combines experimental and computational methods to investigate the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias. His work is funded by prestigious grants (NWO Veni 2015, Dutch Heart Foundation/CVON Predict Young Talent Program 2017, NWO Vidi 2020). He has published >100 peer-reviewed articles, the majority as (shared-)first author, many in high-impact journals such as Circulation (3x), Circulation Research (8x), The European Heart Journal (1x), Nature Reviews in Cardiology (1x) and Science Translational Medicine (1x). These articles have been cited >3500 times, and emphasize the need for interdisciplinary research to advance the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. His expertise is recognized as invited speaker for numerous international conferences, including the EHRA, ESC, AHA, ISHR and HRS meetings, and as referee for scientific journals and grant applications.

Furthermore, he serves on various committees, including the Strategic Board of CARIM, and as chair-elect of the ESC Working Group on Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology. He is an associate editor for International Journal of Cardiology: Heart & Vasculature and in 2018 was Co-Chair of the 45thComputing in Cardiology conference. His work has received attention from several general media in response to a nomination for the popular science magazine NewScientist’s top 25 of young scientific talent 2016.

Jordi-heijman

Department of Cardiology
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht

  • 2021
    • Peper, J., Kownatzki-Danger, D., Weninger, G., Seibertz, F., Pronto, J. R., Sutanto, H., Pacheu Grau, D., Hindmarsh, R., Brandenburg, S., Kohl, T., Hasenfuß, G., Gotthardt, M., Rog-Zielinska, E. A., Wollnik, B., Rehling, P., Urlaub, H., Wegener, J. W., Heijman, J., Voigt, N., ... Lehnart, S. E. (2021). Caveolin3 Stabilizes McT1-Mediated Lactate/Proton Transport in Cardiomyocytes. Circulation Research, 128(6), e102–e120. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.316547
    • Qi, X.-Y., Hassani, F. V., Hoffmann, D., Xiao, J., Xiong, F., Villeneuve, L. R., Ljubojevic-Holzer, S., Kamler, M., Abu-Taha, I., Heijman, J., Bers, D. M., Dobrev, D., & Nattel, S. (2021). Inositol Trisphosphate Receptors and Nuclear Calcium in Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation Research, 128(5), 619-635. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.120.317768
    • Lyon, A., van Mourik, M., Cruts, L., Heijman, J., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., Schotten, U., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Linz, D., & Lumens, J. (2021). Both beat-to-beat changes in RR-interval and left ventricular filling time determine ventricular function during atrial fibrillation. EP Europace, 23, I21-I28. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaa387
    • Fabritz, L., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Guasch, E., Goette, A., Häusler, K. G., Kotecha, D., Lewalter, T., Meyer, C., Potpara, T. S., Rienstra, M., Schnabel, R. B., Willems, S., Breithardt, G., Camm, A. J., Chan, A., Chua, W., de Melis, M., Dimopoulou, C., Dobrev, D., ... Kirchhof, P. (2021). Dynamic risk assessment to improve quality of care in patients with atrial fibrillation: the 7th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference. EP Europace, 23(3), 329-344. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaa279
    • Xenakis, M. N., Kapetis, D., Yang, Y., Heijman, J., Waxman, S. G., Lauria, G., Faber, C. G., Smeets, H. J., Lindsey, P. J., & Westra, R. L. (2021). Non-extensitivity and criticality of atomic hydropathicity around a voltage-gated sodium channel's pore: a modeling study. Journal of Biological Physics, 47(1), 61-77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-021-09565-w
    • Heijman, J., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Linz, D., van Gelder, I. C., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2021). Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation Progression. Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics, 13(1), 201-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccep.2020.10.011
    • Heijman, J., Linz, D., & Schotten, U. (2021). Dynamics of Atrial Fibrillation Mechanisms and Comorbidities. Annual Review of Physiology, 83, 83-106. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physiol-031720-085307
    • Nedios, S., Loebe, S., Knopp, H., Seewoester, T., Heijman, J., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Arya, A., Bollmann, A., Hindricks, G., & Dinov, B. (2021). Left atrial activation and asymmetric anatomical remodeling in patients with atrial fibrillation: The relation between anatomy and function. Clinical Cardiology, 44(1), 116-122. Article 23515. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.23515
  • 2020
    • Gomez, A. M., Heijman, J., & Remme, C. A. (2020). The ESCWorking Group Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology. European Heart Journal, 41(46), 4374-4376. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa646
    • Sutanto, H., Lyon, A., Lumens, J., Schotten, U., Dobrev, D., & Heijman, J. (2020). Cardiomyocyte calcium handling in health and disease: Insights from in vitro and in silico studies. Progress in Biophysics & Molecular Biology, 157, 54-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2020.02.008
    • Sutanto, H., & Heijman, J. (2020). Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Stimulation Modulates the Cellular Proarrhythmic Effects of Chloroquine and Azithromycin. Frontiers in physiology, 11, Article 587709. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.587709
    • Vagos, M. R., Arevalo, H., Heijman, J., Schotten, U., & Sundnes, J. (2020). A Novel Computational Model of the Rabbit Atrial Cardiomyocyte With Spatial Calcium Dynamics. Frontiers in physiology, 11, Article 556156. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.556156
    • Xenakis, M. N., Kapetis, D., Yang, Y., Heijman, J., Waxman, S. G., Lauria, G., Faber, C. G., Smeets, H. J., Westra, R. L., & Lindsey, P. J. (2020). Cumulative hydropathic topology of a voltage-gated sodium channel at atomic resolution. Proteins-structure Function and Bioinformatics, 88(10), 1319-1328. https://doi.org/10.1002/prot.25951
    • Bogossian, H., Linz, D., Heijman, J., Bimpong-Buta, N.-Y., Bandorski, D., Frommeyer, G., Erkapic, D., Seyfarth, M., Zarse, M., & Crijns, H. J. (2020). QTc evaluation in patients with bundle branch block. IJC Heart & Vasculature, 30, Article 100636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2020.100636
    • Heijman, J., Muna, A. P., Veleva, T., Molina, C. E., Sutanto, H., Tekook, M. A., Wang, Q., Abu-Taha, I., Gorka, M., Künzel, S., El-Armouche, A., Reichenspurner, H., Kamler, M., Nikolaev, V. O., Ravens, U., Li, N., Nattel, S., Wehrens, X. H., & Dobrev, D. (2020). Atrial Myocyte NLRP3/CaMKII Nexus Forms a Substrate for Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation Research, 127(8), 1036-1055. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.120.316710
    • Sutanto, H., Cluitmans, M. J. M., Dobrev, D., Volders, P. G. A., Bébarová, M., & Heijman, J. (2020). Acute effects of alcohol on cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmogenesis: Insights from multiscale in silico analyses. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 146, 69-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2020.07.007
    • Lyon, A., Dupuis, L. J., Arts, T., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Prinzen, F. W., Delhaas, T., Heijman, J., & Lumens, J. (2020). Differentiating the effects of β-adrenergic stimulation and stretch on calcium and force dynamics using a novel electromechanical cardiomyocyte model. American Journal of Physiology-heart and Circulatory Physiology, 319(3), H519-H530. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00275.2020
    • Altrocchi, C., de Korte, T., Bernardi, J., Spätjens, R. L. H., Braam, S. R., Heijman, J., Zaza, A., & Volders, P. G. A. (2020). Repolarization instability and arrhythmia by I-Kr block in single human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and 2D monolayers. EP Europace, 22(9), 1431-1441. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaa111
    • Vranken, N. P. A., Pustjens, T. F. S., Kolkman, E., Hermanides, R. S., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., Smulders, M. W., van Cauteren, Y. J. M., Heijman, J., Rasoul, S., Ottervanger, J. P., & van't Hof, A. W. J. (2020). MINOCA: The caveat of absence of coronary obstruction in myocardial infarction. IJC Heart & Vasculature, 29, Article 100572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2020.100572
    • Espinosa, C. B., Hemels, M. E. W., Dobrev, D., & Heijman, J. (2020). Recurrence of atrial fibrillation following non-cardiac surgery or acute illness: A common but rarely detected complication. IJC Heart & Vasculature, 29, Article 100609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2020.100609
    • Nattel, S., Heijman, J., Zhou, L., & Dobrev, D. (2020). Molecular Basis of Atrial Fibrillation Pathophysiology and Therapy A Translational Perspective. Circulation Research, 127(1), 51-72. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.316363
    • Linz, D., Linz, B., & Heijman, J. (2020). Sleep Apnea, Intermittent Hypoxemia, and Effects on Ischemic Myocardial Damage: Friend or Foe?Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 36(6), 809-812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2020.02.075
    • Coopmans, C., Zhou, T. L., Henry, R. M. A., Heijman, J., Schaper, N. C., Koster, A., Schram, M. T., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Wesselius, A., den Engelsman, R. J. A., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2020). Both Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Are Associated With Lower Heart Rate Variability: The Maastricht Study. Diabetes Care, 43(5), 1126-1133. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc19-2367
    • Kostopoulou, A., Zeljko, H. M., Bogossian, H., Ciudin, R., Costa, F., Heijman, J., Kochhaeuser, S., Manola, S., Scherr, D., Sohal, M., Wakili, R., Wolf, M., Irfan, G., & DAS-CAM participants 2017–2018 (2020). Atrial fibrillation-related stroke in women: Evidence and inequalities in epidemiology, mechanisms, clinical presentation, and management. Clinical Cardiology, 43(1), 14-23. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.23284
  • 2019
    • Linz, D., Ammirati, E., Dan, G.-A., Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2019). Highlights from the International Journal of Cardiology Heart & Vasculature: Heart failure, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. IJC Heart and Vasculature, 25, Article 100443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2019.100443
    • Sutanto, H., Laudy, L., Clerx, M., Dobrev, D., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Heijman, J. (2019). Maastricht antiarrhythmic drug evaluator (MANTA): a computational tool for better understanding of antiarrhythmic drugs. Pharmacological Research, 148, Article 104444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104444
    • Sutanto, H., Dobrev, D., & Heijman, J. (2019). Genome-wide association studies of atrial fibrillation: Finding meaning in the life of risk loci. IJC Heart and Vasculature, 24, Article 100397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2019.100397
    • Grandi, E., Dobrev, D., & Heijman, J. (2019). Computational modeling: What does it tell us about atrial fibrillation therapy?International Journal of Cardiology, 287, 155-161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.01.077
    • Dobrev, D., Aguilar, M., Heijman, J., Guichard, J.-B., & Nattel, S. (2019). Postoperative atrial fibrillation: mechanisms, manifestations and management. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 16(7), 417-436. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-019-0166-5
    • Thomas, D., Christ, T., Fabritz, L., Goette, A., Hammwoehner, M., Heijman, J., Kockskaemper, J., Linz, D., Odening, K. E., Schweizer, P. A., Wakili, R., & Voigt, N. (2019). German Cardiac Society Working Group on Cellular Electrophysiology state-of-the-art paper: impact of molecular mechanisms on clinical arrhythmia management. Clinical research in cardiology, 108(6), 577-599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-018-1377-1
    • Sutanto, H., & Heijman, J. (2019). The Role of Calcium in the Human Heart: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility. Frontiers for Young Minds, 7(65). https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2019.00065
    • Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2019). Bayesian network analyses in atrial fibrillation - A path to better therapies?IJC Heart and Vasculature, 22, 210-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2019.02.009
    • van Mourik, M. J. W., Zaar, D. V. J., Smulders, M. W., Heijman, J., Lumens, J., Dokter, J. E., Passos, V. L., Schalla, S., Knackstedt, C., Schummers, G., Gjesdal, O., Edvardsen, T., & Bekkers, S. C. A. M. (2019). Adding Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography to Visual Assessment of Systolic Wall Motion Abnormalities Improves the Detection of Myocardial Infarction. Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, 32(1), 65-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.echo.2018.09.007
  • 2018
    • Uyen Chau Nguyen, N. V., Potse, M., Vernooy, K., Mafi-Rad, M., Heijman, J., Caputo, M. L., Conte, G., Regoli, F., Krause, R., Moccetti, T., Auricchio, A., Prinzen, F. W., & Maffessanti, F. (2018). A left bundle branch block activation sequence and ventricular pacing influence voltage amplitudes: an in vivo and in silico study. EP Europace, 20, 77-86. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euy233
    • Sutanto, H., Dobrev, D., & Heijman, J. (2018). Resveratrol: an effective pharmacological agent to prevent inflammation-induced atrial fibrillation?Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archives of Pharmacology, 391(11), 1163-1167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-018-1566-5
    • Molina, C. E., Abu-Taha, I. H., Wang, Q., Rosello-Diez, E., Kamler, M., Nattel, S., Ravens, U., Wehrens, X. H. T., Hove-Madsen, L., Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2018). Profibrotic, Electrical, and Calcium-Handling Remodeling of the Atria in Heart Failure Patients With and Without Atrial Fibrillation. Frontiers in physiology, 9, Article 1383. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01383
    • Heijman, J., Dobrev, D., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). Electrocardiographic characteristics associated with atrial fibrillation - What do they tell us?International Journal of Cardiology, 266, 143-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.04.071
    • Clerx, M., Heijman, J., Collins, P., & Volders, P. G. A. (2018). Predicting changes to I-Na from missense mutations in human SCN5A. Scientific Reports, 8(1), Article 12797. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30577-5
    • Sutanto, H., van Sloun, B., Schönleitner, P., van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., Antoons, G., & Heijman, J. (2018). The Subcellular Distribution of Ryanodine Receptors and L-Type Ca2+ Channels Modulates Ca2+-Transient Properties and Spontaneous Ca2+-Release Events in Atrial Cardiomyocytes. Frontiers in physiology, 9, Article 1108. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01108
    • Heijman, J., Kirchner, D., Kunze, F., Chretien, E. M., Michel-Reher, M. B., Voigt, N., Knaut, M., Michel, M. C., Ravens, U., & Dobrev, D. (2018). Muscarinic type-1 receptors contribute to I-K,I-ACh in human atrial cardiomyocytes and are upregulated in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. International Journal of Cardiology, 255, 61-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.12.050
    • Heijman, J., Guichard, J.-B., Dobrev, D., & Nattel, S. (2018). Translational Challenges in Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation Research, 122(5), 752-773. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.311081
    • Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2018). Ion channels as part of macromolecular multiprotein complexes: Clinical significance. Herzschrittmachertherapie und Elektrophysiologie, 29(1), 30-35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-017-0542-y
    • Abu-Taha, I. H., Heijman, J., Feng, Y., Vettel, C., Dobrev, D., & Wieland, T. (2018). Regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling by NDPK/NME proteins and caveolins: an update. Laboratory Investigation, 98(2), 190-197. https://doi.org/10.1038/labinvest.2017.103
  • 2017
    • Heijman, J., Dobrev, D., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2017). Targeting supraventricular ectopic complexes: Which approach should be used and how does it affect atrial fibrillation?International Journal of Cardiology, 244, 202-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.06.013
    • Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2017). Inhibition of Small-Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels The Long-Awaited Breakthrough for Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy of Atrial Fibrillation?Circulation-Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 10(10), Article e005776. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.117.005776
    • Tomek, J., Rodriguez, B., Bub, G., & Heijman, J. (2017). beta-Adrenergic receptor stimulation inhibits proarrhythmic alternans in postinfarction border zone cardiomyocytes: a computational analysis. American Journal of Physiology-heart and Circulatory Physiology, 313(2), H338-H353. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00094.2017
    • Neef, S., Heijman, J., Otte, K., Dewenter, M., Saadatmand, A. R., Meyer-Roxlau, S., Antos, C. L., Backs, J., Dobrev, D., Wagner, M., Maier, L. S., & El-Armouche, A. (2017). Chronic loss of inhibitor-1 diminishes cardiac RyR2 phosphorylation despite exaggerated CaMKII activity. Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archives of Pharmacology, 390(8), 857-862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-017-1376-1
    • Schmidt, C., Wiedmann, F., Zhou, X.-B., Heijman, J., Voigt, N., Ratte, A., Lang, S., Kallenberger, S. M., Campana, C., Weymann, A., De Simone, R., Szabo, G., Ruhparwar, A., Kallenbach, K., Karck, M., Ehrlich, J. R., Baczko, I., Borggrefe, M., Ravens, U., ... Thomas, D. (2017). Inverse remodelling of K(2P)3.1 K(+) channel expression and action potential duration in left ventricular dysfunction and atrial fibrillation: implications for patient-specific antiarrhythmic drug therapy. European Heart Journal, 38(22), 1764-1774. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehw559
    • Grandi, E., Sanguinetti, M. C., Bartos, D. C., Bers, D. M., Ye Chen-Izu, Chiamvimonvat, N., Colecraft, H. M., Delisle, B. P., Heijman, J., Navedo, M. F., Noskov, S., Proenza, C., Vandenberg, J. I., & Yarov-Yarovoy, V. (2017). Potassium channels in the heart: structure, function and regulation. Journal of Physiology, 595(7), 2209-2228. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP272864
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