Paul Volders

Professor

Prof. Paul Volders, CARIM Principal Investigator and Cardiologist, coordinates the cardiogenetic care of patients with inherited cardiomyopathies, including those with inherited arrhythmias, at Maastricht UMC+. Within this clinical-experimental environment, the active research projects of his PI team focus on novel pathogenetic insights and improved management of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest.

Paul Volders defended his PhD thesis 'Cellular Mechanisms of Acquired Torsades de Pointes in the Hypertrophied Canine Heart: The Substrate and the Trigger' in Maastricht in 1999 (cum laude). Since 2015 he is Professor of Genetic Cardiology.

Traditionally, the Volders team has focussed on the electrophysiological characterisation of arrhythmia substrates in inherited cardiomyopathies and in acquired cardiac overload, compensated hypertrophy and failure. While these studies continue at the cellular, intact-animal and patient level, increasing research activities are directed to:


(1) intracellular signaling pathways determining ion-channel function;
(2) the genetic and genomic basis of cardiac arrhythmias; and
(3) systems biology to integrate the basic molecular and functional determinants of arrhythmia syndromes with the clinical characteristics of individual patients, to provide better risk management and treatment.

The group has active research connections with other CARIM PI groups and many international colleagues.

Prof. Paul Volders is a past ZonMw Veni and Vidi laureate, and a Dutch Heart Foundation Junior-Staff member. Currently, he participates as work-package leader in the CVON Consortium Project PREDICT, on predicting sudden cardiac arrest, and he is the research leader of the CVON Consortium Project VIGILANCE, on idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. Several of his team members achieved personal grants (ZonMw Veni, Dutch Heart Foundation junior postdoc). Besides, he ran multiple investigator-initiated studies that were funded by industry. He is a past-chairman of the ESC Working Group on Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology (2012-2014), and a past Working-Group Representative at the Board of the European Heart Rhythm Association (2011-2018).

He is (co-)author on 90 scientific articles, with 5673citations and H-index of 39.

Department of Cardiology
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht
Room number: 3.C2.025
T: +31(0)43 387 51 06

  • 2025
    • Heymans, A. B. M., Bianchi, L., Volders, P. G. A., van der Crabben, S. N., & Verdonschot, J. A. J. (2025). SCN5A Cardiomyopathy: from Ion Channel Dysfunction To Clinical Disease. Current Cardiology Reports, 27(1), Article 138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-025-02298-5
    • Szabo, B. R., Stein, J., Savchenko, A., Hutschalik, T., Van Nieuwerburgh, F., Meese, T., Kosmidis, G., Volders, P. G. A., & Matsa, E. (2025). Integral approach to organelle profiling in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes enhances in vitro cardiac safety classification of known cardiotoxic compounds. Frontiers in Toxicology, 7, Article 1644119. https://doi.org/10.3389/ftox.2025.1644119
    • Rivera, S., Ricapito, M. D. L. P., Ronderos, R., & Volders, P. G. A. (2025). Anatomical Determinants of Papillary Muscle Arrhythmias in Apparently Normal Hearts. Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review, 14, Article e16. https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2025.10
    • ter Bekke, R. M. A., van Rooij, T., Volders, P. G. A., & Hocini, M. (2025). Targeted ablation of the distal Purkinje-myocardium interface for premature ventricular complex-induced cardiomyopathy by delayed Purkinje conduction-induced re-excitation: a case report. European Heart Journal - Case Reports, 9(8), Article ytaf335. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcr/ytaf335
    • Clerx, M., Volders, P. G. A., & Mirams, G. R. (2025). Variability in reported midpoints of (in)activation of cardiac INa. Journal of General Physiology, 157(5), Article e202413621. https://doi.org/10.1085/jgp.202413621
    • Meier, S., Dobrev, D., Volders, P. G. A., & Heijman, J. (2025). Computational modelling of the pro- and antiarrhythmic effects of atrial high rate-dependent trafficking of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels. Journal of Physiology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP288659
    • Smits, K. C., Lempers, T. E. M., Strik, M., Stoks, J., Meiburg, R., Cluitmans, M. J. M., Volders, P. G. A., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., & Nguyen, U. C. (2025). The influence of delayed ventricular activation on cardiac repolarization: Insights from electrocardiographic imaging. Journal of Physiology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP288569
    • Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Hohmann, S., Xie, J., Grehn, M., Verhoeven, K., Volders, P. G. A., Mihl, C., Kaya, Y. S., Manninger, M., Scherr, D., Corradini, S., Schweikard, A., Rademaker, R., Hoeksema, W. F., Schiappacasse, L., Knybel, L., Pruvot, E., Postema, P. G., Peichl, P., ... Boda-Heggemann, J. (2025). Transfer of arrhythmia substrate targets from the cardiac electroanatomical and imaging modalities to the planning computed tomography scan for stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation for refractory ventricular tachycardia - a state-of-the-art review on software developments on behalf of the STOPSTORM.eu consortium. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 210, Article 111004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2025.111004
    • Wang, T., Karel, J., Osnabrugge, N., Driessens, K., Stoks, J., Cluitmans, M., Volders, P., Bonizzi, P., & Peeters, R. (2025). Deep learning based estimation of heart surface potentials. Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, 163, Article 103093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artmed.2025.103093
    • Deissler, P. M., Volders, P. G. A., & Ter Bekke, R. M. A. (2025). The Electromechanical Window for Arrhythmia-Risk Assessment. Heart Rhythm, 22(1), 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.06.012
    • Sobota, V., Stoks, J., Patel, K. H. K., Shetty, R., Ni, H., Grandi, E., Ng, F. S., Volders, P. G. A., Cluitmans, M. J. M., & Bayer, J. D. (2025). The apicobasal dispersion of ventricular repolarization in humans is associated with age and affects arrhythmia vulnerability. The Journal of Physiology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP288356
  • 2024
    • Kaya, Y. S., Stoks, J., Hazelaar, C., van Elmpt, W., Gommers, S., Volders, P. G. A., Verhoeven, K., & ter Bekke, R. M. A. (2024). 3D-targeted, electrocardiographic imaging-aided stereotactic radioablation for ventricular tachycardia storm: a case report. European Heart Journal - Case Reports, 8(10), Article ytae541. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcr/ytae541
    • Verheul, L. M., Hoeksema, W. F., Groeneveld, S. A., Mulder, B. A., Bootsma, M., Alings, M., Evertz, R., Blank, A. C., Kammeraad, J. A. E., Clur, S.-A. B., Yap, S.-C., Postema, P. G., Wilde, A. A. M., Volders, P. G. A., & Hassink, R. J. (2024). Comparing Adolescent- and Adult-Onset Unexplained Cardiac Arrest - Results from the Dutch Idiopathic VF registry. Heart Rhythm, 21(10), 1779-1786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.03.031
    • Stoks, J., Patel, K. H. K., van Rees, B., Nguyen, U. C., Mihl, C., Deissler, P. M., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Peeters, R., Vijgen, J., Dendale, P., Ng, F. S., Cluitmans, M. J. M., & Volders, P. G. A. (2024). Variant patterns of electrical activation and recovery in normal human hearts revealed by noninvasive electrocardiographic imaging. EP Europace, 26(7), Article euae172. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euae172
    • Verheul, L. M., Guglielmo, M., Groeneveld, S. A., Kirkels, F. P., Scrocco, C., Cramer, M. J., Bootsma, M., Kapel, G. F. L., Alings, M., Evertz, R., Mulder, B. A., Prakken, N. H. J., Balt, J. C., Volders, P. G. A., Hirsch, A., Yap, S. C., Postema, P. G., Nijveldt, R., Velthuis, B. K., ... Hassink, R. J. (2024). Mitral Annular Disjunction in Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation Patients: Just a Bystander or a Potential Cause?European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 25(6), 764-770. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeae054
    • Verheul, L. M., Groeneveld, S. A., Stoks, J., Hoeksema, W. F., Cluitmans, M. J. M., Postema, P. G., Wilde, A. A. M., Volders, P. G. A., & Hassink, R. J. (2024). The Dutch Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation Registry: progress report on the quest to identify the unidentifiable. Netherlands Heart Journal, 32(6), 238-244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-024-01870-y
    • Stevens, R. R. F., Hazelaar, C., Bogowicz, M., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Volders, P. G. A., Verhoeven, K., de Ruysscher, D., Verhoeff, J. J. C., Fast, M. F., Mandija, S., Cvek, J., Knybel, L., Dvorak, P., Blanck, O., & van Elmpt, W. (2024). A Framework for Assessing the Effect of Cardiac and Respiratory Motion for Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation Using a Digital Phantom With a 17-Segment Model: A STOPSTORM.eu Consortium Study. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 118(2), 533-542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.08.059
  • 2023
    • Verheul, L. M., van der Ree, M. H., Groeneveld, S. A., Mulder, B. A., Christiaans, I., Kapel, G. F. L., Alings, M., Bootsma, M., Barge-Schaapveld, D. Q. C. M., Balt, J. C., Yap, S.-C., Krapels, I. P. C., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Volders, P. G. A., van der Crabben, S. N., Postema, P. G., Wilde, A. A. M., Dooijes, D., Baas, A. F., & Hassink, R. J. (2023). The genetic basis of apparently idiopathic ventricular fibrillation: a retrospective overview. EP Europace, 25(11), Article euad336. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euad336
    • Kaya, Y. S., Stoks, J., Gommers, S., Holtackers, R. J., Duijsings, R., Vernooy, K., Volders, P., & Ter Bekke, R. (2023). Optimal pixel signal intensity threshold for the assessment of endocardial left-ventricular scar by 3D dark blood MRI compared to bipolar voltage electro-anatomical mapping. European Heart Journal, 44.
    • Bergeman, A. T. J., Hoeksema, W. F. N., van der Ree, M. H., Boersma, L. V. A., Yap, S.-C., Verheul, L. M. G., Hassink, R. J., van der Crabben, S. N., Volders, P. G. A., van der Werf, C., Wilde, A. A. M. G., Postema, P. G., & European Reference Network for rare, low prevalence and complex diseases of the heart: ERN GUARD-Heart (2023). Outcomes in Dutch DPP6 risk haplotype for familial idiopathic ventricular fibrillation: a focused update. Netherlands Heart Journal, 31(7-8), 309-314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-023-01792-1
    • Meier, S., Grundland, A., Dobrev, D., Volders, P. G. A., & Heijman, J. (2023). In silico analysis of the dynamic regulation of cardiac electrophysiology by K(v)11.1 ion-channel trafficking. The Journal of Physiology, 601(13), 2711-2731. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP283976
    • Isaacs, A., Barysenka, A., ter Bekke, R. M. A., van den Enden, A. T. J. M. H., van den Wijngaard, A., Volders, P. G. A., & Stoll, M. (2023). Standing genetic variation affects phenotypic heterogeneity in an SCN5A-mutation founder population with excess sudden cardiac death. Heart Rhythm, 20(5), 720-727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.02.004
    • Cluitmans, M. J. M., Bayer, J., Bear, L. R., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Heijman, J., Coronel, R., & Volders, P. G. A. (2023). The circle of reentry: Characteristics of trigger-substrate interaction leading to sudden cardiac arrest. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10, Article 1121517. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1121517
    • Stoks, J., Bear, L. R., Vijgen, J., Dendale, P., Peeters, R., Volders, P. G. A., & Cluitmans, M. J. M. (2023). Understanding repolarization in the intracardiac unipolar electrogram: A long-lasting controversy revisited. Frontiers in physiology, 14, Article 1158003. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1158003
    • Groeneveld, S. A., Verheul, L. M., van der Ree, M. H., Mulder, B. A., Scholten, M. F., Alings, M., van der Voort, P., Bootsma, M., Evertz, R., Balt, J. C., Yap, S.-C., Doevendans, P. A. F. M., Postema, P. G., Wilde, A. A. M., Volders, P. G. A., & Hassink, R. J. (2023). The Importance of Systematic Diagnostic Testing in Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation: Results From the Dutch iVF-Registry. JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, 9(3), 345-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2022.10.003
    • Stoks, J., Hermans, B. M., Boukens, B. J. D., Holtackers, R. J., Gommers, S., Kaya, Y. S., Vernooy, K., Cluitmans, M. J. M., Volders, P. G. A., & ter Bekke, R. M. A. (2023). High-resolution structural-functional substrate-trigger characterization: Future roadmap for catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10(1), Article 1112980. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1112980
    • Hoorntje, E. T., Burns, C., Marsili, L., Corden, B., Parikh, V. N., Te Meerman, G. J., Gray, B., Adiyaman, A., Bagnall, R. D., Barge-Schaapveld, D. Q. C. M., van den Berg, M. P., Bootsma, M., Bosman, L. P., Correnti, G., Duflou, J., Eppinga, R. N., Fatkin, D., Fietz, M., Haan, E., ... Ingles, J. (2023). Variant Location Is a Novel Risk Factor for Individuals With Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Due to a Desmoplakin (DSP) Truncating Variant. Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, 16(1), 69-79. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCGEN.121.003672
  • 2022
    • Odening, K. E., van der Linde, H. J., Ackerman, M. J., Volders, P. G. A., & Ter Bekke, R. M. A. (2022). Electromechanical reciprocity and arrhythmogenesis in long-QT syndrome and beyond. European Heart Journal, 43(32), 3018-3028. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac135
    • Verheul, L. M., Groeneveld, S. A., Kirkels, F. P., Volders, P. G. A., Teske, A. J., Cramer, M. J., Guglielmo, M., & Hassink, R. J. (2022). State-of-the-Art Multimodality Imaging in Sudden Cardiac Arrest with Focus on Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation: A Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(16), Article 4680. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11164680
    • Barc, J., Tadros, R., Glinge, C., Chiang, D. Y., Jouni, M., Simonet, F., Jurgens, S. J., Baudic, M., Nicastro, M., Potet, F., Offerhaus, J. A., Walsh, R., Choi, S. H., Verkerk, A. O., Mizusawa, Y., Anys, S., Minois, D., Arnaud, M., Duchateau, J., ... KORA-Study Group (2022). Author Correction: Genome-wide association analyses identify new Brugada syndrome risk loci and highlight a new mechanism of sodium channel regulation in disease susceptibility. Nature Genetics, 54(5), 735-735. Article 735. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-022-01079-y
    • Barc, J., Tadros, R., Glinge, C., Chiang, D. Y., Jouni, M., Simonet, F., Jurgens, S. J., Baudic, M., Nicastro, M., Potet, F., Offerhaus, J. A., Walsh, R., Choi, S. H., Verkerk, A. O., Mizusawa, Y., Anys, S., Minois, D., Arnaud, M., Duchateau, J., ... KORA-Study Group (2022). Genome-wide association analyses identify new Brugada syndrome risk loci and highlight a new mechanism of sodium channel regulation in disease susceptibility. Nature Genetics, 54(3), 232-239. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-021-01007-6
    • Malheiro, A., Harichandan, A., Bernardi, J., Seijas-Gamardo, A., Konings, G. F., Volders, P. G. A., Romano, A., Mota, C., Wieringa, P., & Moroni, L. (2022). 3D culture platform of human iPSCs-derived nociceptors for peripheral nerve modeling and tissue innervation. Biofabrication, 14(1), Article 014105. https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ac36bf
    • Cluitmans, M., Coll-Font, J., Erem, B., Bear, L., Nguyên, U. C., Ter Bekke, R., Volders, P. G. A., & Brooks, D. (2022). Spatiotemporal approximation of cardiac activation and recovery isochrones. Journal of Electrocardiology, 71, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2021.12.007
  • 2021
    • Ravens, U., Gomez, A. M., Heijman, J., Remme, C. A., Dobrev, D., Smith, G., Volders, P. G. A., Cerbai, E., Eisner, D. A., Casadei, B., Zaza, A., Richard, S., Mugelli, A., Vassort, G., Brown, H. F., & Sipido, K. R. (2021). Edward Carmeliet (1930-2021)-channelling scientific curiosity: a tribute from the ESC Working Group on Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology†. Cardiovascular Research, 117(14), e171-e173. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab333
    • Schwartz, P. J., Moreno, C., Kotta, M.-C., Pedrazzini, M., Crotti, L., Dagradi, F., Castelletti, S., Haugaa, K. H., Denjoy, I., Shkolnikova, M. A., Brink, P. A., Heradien, M. J., Seyen, S. R. M., Spätjens, R. L. H., Spazzolini, C., & Volders, P. G. A. (2021). Mutation location and I Ksregulation in the arrhythmic risk of long QT syndrome type 1: the importance of the KCNQ1 S6 region. European Heart Journal, 42(46), 4743-4755. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab582
    • Cluitmans, M. J. M., Bear, L. R., Nguyên, U. C., van Rees, B., Stoks, J., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Mihl, C., Heijman, J., Lau, K. D., Vigmond, E., Bayer, J., Belterman, C. N. W., Abell, E., Labrousse, L., Rogier, J., Bernus, O., Haïssaguerre, M., Hassink, R. J., Dubois, R., ... Volders, P. G. A. (2021). Noninvasive detection of spatiotemporal activation-repolarization interactions that prime idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. Science Translational Medicine, 13(620), Article abi9317. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abi9317
    • Van Rees, B., Stoks, J., Nguyen, Y. C., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Mihl, C., Cluitmans, M., & Volders, P. G. A. (2021). Local areas of earlier repolarization cause epicardial repolarization heterogeneity in patients with apparently idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. European Heart Journal, 42, 326-326. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab724.0326
    • Mellor, G. J., Blom, L. J., Groeneveld, S. A., Winkel, B. G., Ensam, B., Bargehr, J., van Rees, B., Scrocco, C., Krapels, I. P. C., Volders, P. G. A., Tfelt-Hansen, J., Krahn, A. D., Hassink, R. J., & Behr, E. R. (2021). Familial Evaluation in Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation: Diagnostic Yield and Significance of J Wave Syndromes. Circulation-Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 14(3), 296-305. Article 009089. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.120.009089
    • Walsh, R., Lahrouchi, N., Tadros, R., Kyndt, F., Glinge, C., Postema, P. G., Amin, A. S., Nannenberg, E. A., Ware, J. S., Whiffin, N., Mazzarotto, F., Skoric-Milosavljevic, D., Krijger, C., Arbelo, E., Babuty, D., Barajas-Martinez, H., Beckmann, B. M., Bezieau, S., Bos, J. M., ... Nantes Referral Center for inherited cardiac arrhythmia (2021). Enhancing rare variant interpretation in inherited arrhythmias through quantitative analysis of consortium disease cohorts and population controls. Genetics in Medicine, 23(1), 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41436-020-00946-5
  • 2020
    • Stoks, J., Chau Nguyen, U., Peeters, R., Volders, P., & Cluitmans, M. (2020). An Open-Source Algorithm for Standardized Bullseye Visualization of High-Resolution Cardiac Ventricular Data: UNISYS. Computing in Cardiology, 47, 1-4. Article 160. https://doi.org/10.22489/CinC.2020.160
    • Stoks, J., Van Rees, B., Groeneveld, S., Schipaanboord, D., Blom, L., Hassink, R., Cluitmans, M., Peeters, R., & Volders, P. (2020). Variability of Electrocardiographic Imaging Within and Between Leadsets. Computing in Cardiology, 47, 1-4. Article 097. https://doi.org/10.22489/CinC.2020.097
    • Pinto-Sietsma, S. J., Flossdorf, M., Buchholz, V. R., Offerhaus, J., Bleijendaal, H., Beudel, M., Volders, P. G. A., ter Bekke, R. M. A., Dormans, T., Zwetsloot, P. P., de Jager, P., Massberg, S., Ramer, P., Wendtner, C., Hoffmann, E., Rothe, K., Feihl, S., Kessler, T., Pinto, Y. M., ... Pinto, Y. (2020). Antihypertensive drugs in COVID-19 infection. European Heart Journal-Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, 6(6), 415-416. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcvp/pvaa058
    • Stoks, J., Van Rees, B. D., Nguyen, U. C., Peeters, R. L. M., Dendale, P., Cluitmans, M. J. M., & Volders, P. G. A. (2020). Noninvasive assessment of dynamic cardiac electrophysiology in normal human subjects. European Heart Journal, 41(S2), 3596-3596. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.3596
    • 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
    • Guns, P.-J. D., Guth, B. D., Braam, S., Kosmidis, G., Matsa, E., Delaunois, A., Gryshkova, V., Bernasconi, S., Knot, H. J., Shemesh, Y., Chen, A., Markert, M., Fernandez, M. A., Lombardi, D., Grandmont, C., Cillero-Pastor, B., Heeren, R. M. A., Martinet, W., Woolard, J., ... Valentin, J.-P. (2020). INSPIRE: A European training network to foster research and training in cardiovascular safety pharmacology. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods, 105, Article 106889. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vascn.2020.106889
    • 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
    • ter Bekke, R. M. A., & Volders, P. G. A. (2020). Haloperidol and sudden death in first acute myocardial infarction. IJC Heart & Vasculature, 26, Article 100482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2020.100482