Martijn Brouwers

Professor

Dr Martijn Brouwers obtained his MD degree (with honours) in 2002, after which he started his PhD project that focused on hepatic steatosis in familial combined hyperlipidemia. In 2006, he worked as a trainee at the Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology. Since 2012, he has been a staff member (internist-endocrinologist) at Maastricht UMC+ and in 2019 he was appointed as the head of the division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease.

His research focusses on the cardiometabolic consequences of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD consists of a histological spectrum comprising simple steatosis, steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis. Evidence is accumulating that NAFLD is not only a liver disease per se, it is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. This research line aims to elucidate the exact mechanistic link between NAFLD and these systemic diseases. For this, a diverse set of studies is used, ranging from (genetic) epidemiology, to ‘human knockout’ models, to randomised controlled trials and experimental animal work. This research is in part funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Dutch Diabetes Foundation and the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes.

Department ofInternal Medicine
P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht
T: +31(0)43 388 70 19

  • 2023
    • de Ritter, R., Sep, S. J. S., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., Kusters, Y. H. A. M., Vos, R. C., Bots, M. L., Kooi, M. E., Dagnelie, P. C., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Schram, M. T., Koster, A., Brouwers, M. C. G., van der Sangen, N. M. R., Peters, S. A. E., van der Kallen, C. J. H., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2023). Sex differences in body composition in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes as compared with people with normal glucose metabolism: the Maastricht Study. Diabetologia, 66(5), 861-872. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-023-05880-0
    • Tore, E. C., Elshorbagy, A. K., Bakers, F. C. H., Brouwers, M. C. G. J., Dagnelie, P. C., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Jansen, J. F. A., Kooi, M. E., Kusters, Y. H. A. M., Meex, S. J. R., Olsen, T., Refsum, H., Retterstøl, K., Schalkwijk, C. G., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Vinknes, K. J., & van Greevenbroek, M. M. J. (2023). Associations between plasma sulfur amino acids and specific fat depots in two independent cohorts: CODAM and The Maastricht Study. European Journal of Nutrition, 62(2), 891-904. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-03041-4
    • Buziau, A. M., Law, P. J., Blokland, G., Schalkwijk, C., Scheijen, J., Simons, P., van der Kallen, C., Eussen, S., Dagnelie, P. C., van Greevenbroek, M., Houlston, R. S., Wesselius, A., Went, M., Stehouwer, C., & Brouwers, M. C. (2023). Genetically proxied ketohexokinase function and risk of colorectal cancer: a Mendelian randomisation study. Gut, 72(3), 604-606. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326299
    • Ren, Z., Simons, P. I. H. G., Wesselius, A., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2023). Relationship between NAFLD and coronary artery disease: A Mendelian randomization study. Hepatology, 77(1), 230-238. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32534
    • Simons, P. I. H. G., Valkenburg, O., van de Waarenburg, M. P. H., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., Kooi, M. E., Jansen, J. F. A., Schalkwijk, C. G., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2023). Serum sex hormone-binding globulin is a mediator of the association between intrahepatic lipid content and type 2 diabetes: the Maastricht Study. Diabetologia, 66(1), 213-222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-022-05790-7
    • Tichler, A., Hertroijs, D. F., Ruwaard, D., Brouwers, M. C., Hiligsmann, M., de Jong, J. D., & Elissen, A. M. (2023). Preferred Conversation Topics with Respect to Treatment Decisions Among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes. Patient Preference and Adherence, 17, 719-729. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S397647
  • 2022
    • Simons, P. I. H. G., Valkenburg, O., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2022). Association between de novo lipogenesis susceptibility genes and coronary artery disease. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 32(12), 2883-2889. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2022.09.003
    • Ren, Z. W., Simons, P. I. H. G., Wesselius, A., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2022). Untitled Reply. Hepatology, 76(6), E129-E130. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32611
    • van der Heide, F. C. T., Foreman, Y. D., Franken, I. W. M., Henry, R. M. A., Kroon, A. A., Dagnelie, P. C., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Berendschot, T. T. J. M., Schouten, J. S. A. G., Webers, C. A. B., Schram, M. T., van der Kallen, C. J. H., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., Wesselius, A., Schalkwijk, C. G., Schaper, N. C., Brouwers, M. C. G. J., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2022). (Pre)diabetes, glycemia, and daily glucose variability are associated with retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in The Maastricht Study. Scientific Reports, 12(1), [17750]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22748-2
    • Janssen, L. E. F., Simons, N., Simons, P. I. H. G., Schaper, N. C., Feskens, E. J. M., van der Ploeg, L. M. C., Van den Eynde, M. D. G., Schalkwijk, C. G., Houben, A. J. H. M., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2022). Effects of fructose restriction on blood pressure: Secondary analysis of a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 51, 97-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.07.009