Menu

Latest news & events

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.

Read more
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'.

Read more
More newsMore events
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

  • 2017
    • Chiamvimonvat, N., Ye Chen-Izu, U., Clancy, C. E., Deschenes, I., Dobrev, D., Heijman, J., Izu, L., Qu, Z., Ripplinger, C. M., Vandenberg, J. I., Weiss, J. N., Koren, G., Banyasz, T., Grandi, E., Sanguinetti, M. C., Bers, D. M., & Nerbonne, J. M. (2017). Potassium currents in the heart: functional roles in repolarization, arrhythmia and therapeutics. Journal of Physiology, 595(7), 2229-2252. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP272883
    • Heijman, J., Ghezelbash, S., Wehrens, X. H. T., & Dobrev, D. (2017). Serine/Threonine Phosphatases in Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 103, 110-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2016.12.009
    • Heijman, J., Ghezelbash, S., & Dobrev, D. (2017). Investigational antiarrhythmic agents: promising drugs in early clinical development. Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs, 26(8), 897-907. https://doi.org/10.1080/13543784.2017.1353601
  • 2016
    • Heijman, J., Schirmer, I., & Dobrev, D. (2016). The multiple proarrhythmic roles of cardiac calcium-handling abnormalities: triggered activity, conduction abnormalities, beat-to-beat variability, and adverse remodelling. EP Europace, 18(10), 1452-1454. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euv417
    • Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2016). Challenges to the translation of basic science findings to atrial fibrillation therapies. Future Cardiology, 12(3), 251-254. https://doi.org/10.2217/fca-2016-0007
    • Heijman, J., Algalarrondo, V., Voigt, N., Melka, J., Wehrens, X. H. T., Dobrev, D., & Nattel, S. (2016). The value of basic research insights into atrial fibrillation mechanisms as a guide to therapeutic innovation: a critical analysis. Cardiovascular Research, 109(4), 467-479. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvv275
    • Schmidt, C., Wiedmann, F., Voigt, N., Zhou, X.-B., Heijman, J., Lang, S., Albert, V., Kallenberger, S., Ruhparwar, A., Szabo, G., Kallenbach, K., Karck, M., Borggrefe, M., Biliczki, P., Ehrlich, J. R., Baczko, I., Lugenbiel, P., Schweizer, P. A., Donner, B. C., ... Thomas, D. (2016). Response to Letter Regarding Article, "Upregulation of K 2P 3.1 K+ Current Causes Action Potential Shortening in Patients With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation". Circulation, 133(11), E440-E441. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020662
    • Heijman, J., Abdoust, P. E., Voigt, N., Nattel, S., & Dobrev, D. (2016). Computational models of atrial cellular electrophysiology and calcium handling, and their role in atrial fibrillation. Journal of Physiology, 594(3), 537-553. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP271404
    • Molina, C. E., Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2016). Differences in Left Versus Right Ventricular Electrophysiological Properties in Cardiac Dysfunction and Arrhythmogenesis. Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review, 5(1), 14-9. https://doi.org/10.15420/AER.2016.8.2
  • 2015
    • Heijman, J., Voigt, N., Ghezelbash, S., Schirmer, I., & Dobrev, D. (2015). Calcium Handling Abnormalities as a Target for Atrial Fibrillation Therapeutics: How Close to Clinical Implementation?Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 66(6), 515-522. https://doi.org/10.1097/FJC.0000000000000253
    • Heijman, J., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2015). T-wave Right Slope Provides a New Angle in the Prediction of Drug-Induced Ventricular Arrhythmias. Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy, 29(5), 411-413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10557-015-6620-7
    • Schmidt, C., Wiedmann, F., Voigt, N., Zhou, X.-B., Heijman, J., Lang, S., Albert, V., Kallenberger, S., Ruhparwar, A., Szabo, G., Kallenbach, K., Karck, M., Borggrefe, M., Biliczki, P., Ehrlich, J. R., Baczko, I., Lugenbiel, P., Schweizer, P. A., Donner, B. C., ... Thomas, D. (2015). Upregulation of K(2P)3.1 K+ Current Causes Action Potential Shortening in Patients With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation, 132(2), 82-92. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.012657
    • Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2015). Irregular rhythm and atrial metabolism are key for the evolution of proarrhythmic atrial remodeling in atrial fibrillation. Basic Research in Cardiology, 110(4), Article 41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-015-0498-1
    • Voigt, N., Heijman, J., & Dobrev, D. (2015). New antiarrhythmic targets in atrial fibrillation. Future Cardiology, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.2217/fca.15.67
    • Heijman, J., Heusch, G., & Dobrev, D. (2015). Tools to Keep the Clock Ticking: Molecular Approaches to Treat Sinus Node Dysfunction. Cardiology, 132(1), 45-48. https://doi.org/10.1159/000430783
  • 2014
    • Spätjens, R. L. H., Bebarova, M., Seyen, S. R. M., Lentink, V., Jongbloed, R. J., Arens, Y. H. J. M., Heijman, J., & Volders, P. G. A. (2014). Long-QT mutation p.K557E-Kv7.1: dominant-negative suppression of I-Ks, but preserved cAMP-dependent up-regulation. Cardiovascular Research, 104(1), 216-225. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvu191
  • 2013
    • Heijman, J., Zaza, A., Johnson, D. M., Rudy, Y., Peeters, R. L. M., Volders, P. G. A., & Westra, R. L. (2013). Determinants of Beat-to-Beat Variability of Repolarization Duration in the Canine Ventricular Myocyte: A Computational Analysis. PLoS Computational Biology, 9(8), Article e1003202. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003202
    • Johnson, D. M., Heijman, J., Bode, E. F., Greensmith, D. J., van der Linde, H., Abi-Gerges, N., Eisner, D. A., Trafford, A. W., & Volders, P. G. A. (2013). Diastolic Spontaneous Calcium Release From the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Increases Beat-to-Beat Variability of Repolarization in Canine Ventricular Myocytes After beta-Adrenergic Stimulation. Circulation Research, 112(2), 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.112.275735
  • 2012
    • Heijman, J., Spätjens, R. L. H., Seyen, S. R. M., Lentink, V., Kuijpers, H. J. H., Boulet, I. R., de Windt, L. J., David, M., & Volders, P. G. A. (2012). Dominant-Negative Control of cAMP-Dependent I-Ks Upregulation in Human Long-QT Syndrome Type 1. Circulation Research, 110(2), 211–219. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.111.249482
  • 2011
    • Heijman, J., Volders, P. G. A., Westra, R. L., & Rudy, Y. (2011). Local control of β-adrenergic stimulation: Effects on ventricular myocyte electrophysiology and Ca2+-transient. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 50(5), 863-871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2011.02.007
  • 2010
    • Heijman, J., Rudy, Y., Westra, R. L., & Volders, P. G. A. (2010). Computational analysis of the downstream effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation on CaMKII in the canine ventricular myocyte (Abstract). Proc. of Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology, 16-19 Jul. 2010, Berlin, Germany.
    • Johnson, D. M., Heijman, J., Pollard, C. E., Valentin, J. P., Crijns, H. J., Abi-Gerges, N., & Volders, P. G. A. (2010). I(Ks) restricts excessive beat-to-beat variability of repolarization during beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 48(1), 122-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2009.08.033
  • 2009
    • Decker, K. F., Heijman, J., Silva, J. R., Hund, T. J., & Rudy, Y. (2009). Properties and ionic mechanisms of action potential adaptation, restitution, and accommodation in canine epicardium. American Journal of Physiology-heart and Circulatory Physiology, 296(4), H1017-H1026. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.01216.2008
Overview