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Catheter treatment is not only effective, but also cost-effective for ischemic stroke

Catheter treatment is not only effective, but also cost-effective for ischemic stroke

29 September 2026

With ischemic stroke, every minute counts. However, many patients do not seek hospital care until it is too late, for example, because symptoms are not immediately recognized or because people wake up with signs of neurological deficits. As a result, a group of patients is no longer eligible for catheter treatment. 

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Platelets: more than a band-aid

Platelets: more than a band-aid

23 September 2026

Some processes in our body might seem obvious to us. If you cut your finger, the bleeding will stop shortly and form a scab. Behind that seemingly simple process hides a sophisticated system of platelets and clotting factors. By now, we know that platelets do much more than halt bleeding: they function as information carriers and regulators of disease processes. 

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Marc van Zandvoort

Professor

Prof. Marc A.M.J. van Zandvoort, born and grown up in Heerlen, studied Physics in Utrecht and achieved his PhD degree in Biophysics at Utrecht University (1994). He then worked as a postdoc at Universitá di Bologna (Bologna, Italy) and LENS institute (Firenze, Italy). He returned to Utrecht University as a postdoc in 1996. In 1998, he moved to Maastricht University first as postdoc, from 2000 as assistant professor Biophysics. In 2007, he became associate professor at the department of Biomedical Engineering, while in 2009, he additionally became professor Biophysics of Microscopy at the Universitätsklinikum Aachen (Germany) and scientific leader of the Two-photon core-facility there. In 2012, he moved to the department of Genetics and Cell Biology, where he is still located. In 2017 he became Professor with chair 'Advanced optical Microscopy' in Maastricht

He is board member of the conference series Focus on Microscopy, board member of NL-BioImaging-AM (the national infrastructure roadmap of optical microscopy), and leader of the EuroBioImaging Node AMMI in Maastricht (the European roadmap of imaging Nodes).

His research currently zooms on the development and application of advanced optical microscopy (multi-photon microscopy, Raman SRS microscopy, multi-photon endoscopy, high-resolution 3D-STED microscopy, and spectral microscopy) to biomedical cardiovascular, oncological, and brain questions. His group consists of assistant professor Dimitris Kapsokalyvas, several postdocs (currently Vytautas Kucikas, Mengyao Zhou), technicians (Monique Ummelen, Michael Vogt), and several PhD students, partly located in his home department, partly distributed over the University and abroad.

As examples of research, his group developed a method to measure mouse carotid plaque micro vessel functionality using in vivo multi-photon microscopy, he has done a variety of studies on bimodal (e.g., optical-MRI, optical-US) imaging. In combination with the techniques used (see the website of EUROBIOIMAGING), a variety of systems can be studied, ranging from artificial systems, via cells in culture (e.g., Lamin substructure, mitochondrial network, and substructure), to whole tissues, organs, and animals. Recently, in collaboration with the Science Campus in Venlo and Prof. Nicola D’ Ascenzo in Magdeburg he got involved in plant imaging (specifically wheat and crop) via the EIC Pathfinder project Re-Imagine-Crops and the MC program PETAL.

He has tutored both scientists with background in physics and biomedical research. He is an experienced teacher for a wide range of students (medicine, biomedical engineering, and science students) and in a variety of roles (mentor, course coordinator, tutor, and internship supervisor). Finally, he has been organizing (since 2014) the MMM PhD/Postdoc course in Maastricht.

Marc-van-zandvoort_5d5f9d20184f1

Department of Molecular Cell Biology
Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
T: +31 (0)43 388 13 61

  • 2026
    • Stiekema, M., Ummelen, M., Jesinghaus, M., Keber, C. U., Wischmann, V., Moll, I., Cleutjens, J., van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., Broers, J. L. V., Ramaekers, F. C. S., & Moll, R. (2026). Lamin subtype expression in Merkel-cell carcinoma: its relation to polyomavirus infection and tumor metastasis. Histochemistry and Cell Biology, 164(1), Article 79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-026-02526-1
    • Xu, Z., Tempeli, V., Hartjes, S., Kotenko, A., Hoogland, G., Haeren, R. H. L., Schijns, O. E. M. G., van Lanen, R. H. G. J., van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., Rijkers, K., & Kapsokalyvas, D. (2026). A dual-modality workflow for quantifying microvascular structure in human temporal lobe epilepsy. IBRO Neuroscience Reports, 21, 710-719. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibneur.2026.08.017
    • Stiekema, M., van Gorp, C., Macamo, A., zur Hausen, A., van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., Ramaekers, F. C. S., & Broers, J. L. V. (2026). Variable A-type lamin expression in Merkel cell carcinoma cell lines and its association with nuclear integrity. Scientific Reports, 16(1), Article 11070. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-39775-y
    • Ahmadian, S., Lindsey, P. J., Ummelen, M., Hopman, A., Van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., Smeets, H. J. M., & Van Tienen, F. H. J. (2026). Fusion Between Control Mesoangioblasts and mtDNA-Mutant Myotubes Preserves Myotube Morphology and Mitochondrial Network Organization. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(3), Article 1357. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031357
    • Kucikas, V., Morgan, A. D., Ciurlionis, I., Bohm, C., Jockenhovel, S., Jahnen-Dechent, W., & van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J. (2026). A new flow chip in combination with multiphoton microscopy as a protocol for longitudinal 3D imaging of tissue calcification under shear stress. FEBS Open Bio. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.70295
  • 2025
    • Ju, J., Neuen, S. M. L., Zandvoort, M. V., Keulers, T. G. H., & Rouschop, K. M. A. (2025). Extracellular vesicles: cargo loading, degradation and secretory pathways, and their intersection with autophagy. Extracellular Vesicles and Circulating Nucleic Acids, 6(3), 360-385. https://doi.org/10.20517/evcna.2025.21
    • Bierens, J., Severens-Rijvers, C., Hildebrand, S., van Zandvoort, M., Al-Nasiry, S., & Kapsokalyvas, D. (2025). Imaging and quantification of placental terminal villi microvasculature and nuclear characteristics in preeclampsia. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 308, 181-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.03.015
    • Nagy, M., Bender, M., Poulter, N. S., Pike, J. A., Sickmann, A., Vondenhoff, S., Bielicka, N., van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J., Koenen, R. R., ten Cate, H., Stéphenne, X., Heemskerk, J. W. M., & Baaten, C. C. F. M. J. (2025). Formation of tight junction-like structures of zonula occludens 2 in platelet–platelet interaction. Research and practice in thrombosis and haemostasis, 9(3), Article 102845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpth.2025.102845
  • 2024
    • Al Enezy-Ulbrich, M. A., Belthle, T., Malyaran, H., Kucikas, V., Kuettner, H., de Lange, R. D., van Zandvoort, M., Neuss, S., & Pich, A. (2024). Fibrin Hydrogels Reinforced by Reactive Microgels for Stimulus-Triggered Drug Administration. Small, 20(42), Article 2309912. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202309912
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