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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

Judith Sluimer

Professor

Prof. Dr. Judith Sluimer defended her PhD thesis at Maastricht University in 2008, under supervision of Prof. Mat Daemen. She established the first proof of hypoxia in human and murine atherosclerosis and investigated the hypoxia-dependent formation and leaky phenotype of atherosclerotic plaque angiogenesis. After her PhD defense, she joined the lab of Prof. Ira Tabas (Columbia University, NYC, USA) in 2008 as a post-doctoral fellow to further her expertise in macrophage apoptosis, efferocytosis and autophagy (funded by the Netherlands Scientific Organisation (NWO, Rubicon), the international atherosclerosis society (IAS), and Maastricht University). Since 2010, Judith has established an independent research line to investigate pharmaceutical and genetic strategies to improve plaque oxygen levels and their impact on atherogenesis (NWO Veni). In 2013, CARIM consolidated her tenure track. 

Judith’s team in the Department of Pathology of Maastricht UMC+ currently works on the overarching goal and vision is to revert vascular ageing, atherosclerotic plaque destabilisation and ensuing clinical events by elucidating the role of inflammatory and fibrotic cellular players.

She studied cellular oxygen metabolism and autophagy as network member of the highly competitive Leducq grant scheme for transatlantic networks of excellence, and as 2016 recipient of the Dr. Dekker senior postdoc fellowship from the Dutch Heart Foundation. Her group benefits from interdisciplinary expertise through honorary scientist positions at RWTH Aachen and University of Edinburgh. These interactions have led to single cell sequencing data supporting heterogeneity of mesenchymal cells in healthy and diseased vasculature (NWO VIDI, ERA-CVD, Marie Curie fellowship, Humboldt fellowship). In addition to research and teaching, she has been mentor of BSc students in Medicine and Biomedical Sciences since 2011. Judith was local organizer of the ESM-EVBO conference (430 delegates) in Maastricht in 2019. She is associate editor for several journals, treasurer of the European Vascular Biology Organization (2019-2025), Member of the Basic Science council European society for cardiology (ESC), board member of the CARIM division Blood, and she chairs CARIM’s Grants & Incentives team, and the faculty-wide committee that advises the dean on promotions to assistant and associate professorships (2020-2026).

Judith-sluimer

Department of Pathology
P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht

  • 2017
    • van Kuijk, K., Baker, A. H., & Sluimer, J. C. (2017). Atherosclerosis development: lipoproteins and beyond. Current Opinion in Lipidology, 28(6), 520-521. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOL.0000000000000462
    • Doran, A. C., Ozcan, L., Cai, B., Zheng, Z., Fredman, G., Rymond, C. C., Dorweiler, B., Sluimer, J. C., Hsieh, J., Kuriakose, G., Tall, A. R., & Tabas, I. (2017). CAMKIIγ suppresses an efferocytosis pathway in macrophages and promotes atherosclerotic plaque necrosis. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 127(11), 4075-4089. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI94735
    • van Hoof, R. H. M., Voo, S. A., Sluimer, J. C., Wijnen, N. J. A., Hermeling, E., Schreuder, F. H. B. M., Truijman, M. T. B., Cleutjens, J. P. M., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Daemen, J.-W. H., van Oostenbrugge, R. J., Mess, W. H., Wildberger, J. E., Heeneman, S., & Kooi, M. E. (2017). Vessel Wall and Adventitial DCE-MRI Parameters Demonstrate Similar Correlations With Carotid Plaque Microvasculature on Histology. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 46(4), 1053-1059. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.25648
    • Theodorou, K., van der Vorst, E. P. C., Gijbels, M. J., Wolfs, I. M. J., Jeurissen, M., Theelen, T. L., Sluimer, J. C., Wijnands, E., Cleutjens, J. P., Li, Y., Jansen, Y., Weber, C., Ludwig, A., Bentzon, J. F., Bartsch, J. W., Biessen, E. A. L., & Donners, M. M. P. C. (2017). Whole body and hematopoietic ADAM8 deficiency does not influence advanced atherosclerotic lesion development, despite its association with human plaque progression. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 11670. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-10549-x
    • Bucerius, J., Barthel, H., Tiepolt, S., Werner, P., Sluimer, J. C., Wildberger, J. E., Patt, M., Hesse, S., Gertz, H.-J., Biessen, E. A. L., Mottaghy, F. M., & Sabri, O. (2017). Feasibility of in vivo (18)F-florbetaben PET/MR imaging of human carotid amyloid-beta. European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 44(7), 1119-1128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-017-3651-2
    • van Hoof, R. H. M., Hermeling, E., Sluimer, J. C., Salzmann, J., Hoeks, A. P. G., Roussel, J., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Struijker-Boudier, H., Wildberger, J. E., Heeneman, S., & Kooi, M. E. (2017). Heart rate lowering treatment leads to a reduction in vulnerable plaque features in atherosclerotic rabbits. PLOS ONE, 12(6), Article 0179024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179024
    • Joshi, F. R., Manavaki, R., Fryer, T. D., Figg, N. L., Sluimer, J. C., Aigbirhio, F. I., Davenport, A. P., Kirkpatrick, P. J., Warburton, E. A., & Rudd, J. H. F. (2017). Vascular Imaging With 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Is Influenced by Hypoxia. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 69(14), 1873-1874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.01.050
    • Laakkonen, J. P., Lappalainen, J. P., Theelen, T. L., Toivanen, P. I., Nieminen, T., Jauhiainen, S., Kaikkonen, M. U., Sluimer, J. C., & Yla-Herttuala, S. (2017). Differential regulation of angiogenic cellular processes and claudin-5 by histamine and VEGF via PI3K-signaling, transcription factor SNAI2 and interleukin-8. Angiogenesis, 20(1), 109-124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10456-016-9532-7
  • 2016
    • Marsch, E., Demandt, J. A. F., Theelen, T. L., Tullemans, B. M. E., Wouters, K., Boon, M. R., van Dijk, T. H., Gijbels, M. J., Dubois, L. J., Meex, S. J. R., Mazzone, M., Hung, G., Fisher, E. A., Biessen, E. A. L., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Rensen, P. C. N., Carmeliet, P., Groen, A. K., & Sluimer, J. C. (2016). Deficiency of the oxygen sensor prolyl hydroxylase 1 attenuates hypercholesterolaemia, atherosclerosis, and hyperglycaemia. European Heart Journal, 37(39), 2993-2997. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehw156
    • Daeichin, V., Kooiman, K., Skachkov, I., Bosch, J. G., Theelen, T. L., Steiger, K., Needles, A., Janssen, B. J., Daemen, M. J. A. P., van der Steen, A. F. W., de Jong, N., & Sluimer, J. C. (2016). QUANTIFICATION OF ENDOTHELIAL alpha(V)beta(3) EXPRESSION WITH HIGH-FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND AND TARGETED MICROBUBBLES: IN VITRO AND IN VIVO STUDIES. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 42(9), 2283-2293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2016.05.005
    • Klinkenberg, L. J. J., Luyten, P., van der Linden, N., Urgel, K., Snijders, D. P. C., Knackstedt, C., Dennert, R., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Mingels, A., Cardinaels, E. P. M., Peeters, F. E. C. M., van Suijlen, J. D. E., ten Kate, J., Marsch, E., Theelen, T. L., Sluimer, J. C., Wouters, K., Bekers, O., Bekkers, B., ... Meex, S. J. R. (2016). Cardiac Troponin T and I Release After a 30-km Run. American Journal of Cardiology, 118(2), 281-287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2016.04.030
    • Haasdijk, R. A., Den Dekker, W. K., Cheng, C., Tempel, D., Szulcek, R., Bos, F. L., Hermkens, D. M. A., Chrifi, I., Brandt, M. M., Van Dijk, C., Xu, Y. J., Van De Kamp, E. H. M., Blonden, L. A. J., Van Bezu, J., Sluimer, J. C., Biessen, E. A. L., Amerongen, G. P. V. N., & Duckers, H. J. (2016). THSD1 preserves vascular integrity and protects against intraplaque haemorrhaging in ApoE(-/-) mice. Cardiovascular Research, 110(1), 129-139. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvw015
    • Vöö, S., Kwee, R. M., Sluimer, J. C., Schreuder, F. H. B. M., Wierts, R., Bauwens, M., Heeneman, S., Cleutjens, J. P. M., van Oostenbrugge, R. J., Daemen, J.-W. H., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Mottaghy, F. M., & Kooi, E. (2016). Imaging Intraplaque Inflammation in Carotid Atherosclerosis With F-18-Fluorocholine Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography Prospective Study on Vulnerable Atheroma With Immunohistochemical Validation. Circulation-Cardiovascular Imaging, 9(5), Article e004467. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.115.004467
    • Marsch, E., Theelen, T., Janssen, B. J., Briedé, J. J., Haenen, G. R., Senden, J., van Loon, L. J., Poeze - van Bokhoven, M., Bierau, J., Gijbels, M. J., Daemen, M. J., & Sluimer, J. (2016). The effect of prolonged dietary nitrate supplementation on atherosclerosis development. Atherosclerosis, 245, 212-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2015.11.031
  • 2015
    • Chaudhari, S. M., Sluimer, J. C., Koch, M., Theelen, T. L., Manthey, H. D., Busch, M., Caballero-Franco, C., Vogel, F., Cochain, C., Pelisek, J., Daemen, M. J., Lutz, M. B., Goerlach, A., Kissler, S., Hermanns, H. M., & Zernecke, A. (2015). Deficiency of HIF1 alpha in Antigen-Presenting Cells Aggravates Atherosclerosis and Type 1 T-Helper Cell Responses in Mice. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 35(11), 2316-2325. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.115.306171
    • van der Valk, F. M., Sluimer, J. C., Voo, S. A., Verberne, H. J., Nederveen, A. J., Windhorst, A. D., Stroes, E. S. G., Lambin, P., & Daemen, M. J. A. P. (2015). In Vivo Imaging of Hypoxia in Atherosclerotic Plaques in Humans. JACC-Cardiovascular Imaging, 8(11), 1340-1341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2014.12.015
    • Daeichin, V., Sluimer, J. C., van der Heiden, K., Skachkov, I., Kooiman, K., Janssen, A., Janssen, B., Bosch, J. G., de Jong, N., Daemen, M. J. A. P., & van der Steen, A. F. W. (2015). Live Observation of Atherosclerotic Plaque Disruption in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mouse. Ultrasound International Open, 1(2), E67-71. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1565092
    • Legein, B., Janssen, E. M., Theelen, T. L., Gijbels, M. J., Walraven, J., Klarquist, J. S., Hennies, C. M., Wouters, K., Seijkens, T. T. P., Wijnands, E., Sluimer, J. C., Lutgens, E., Zenke, M., Hildner, K., Biessen, E. A. L., & Temmerman, L. (2015). Ablation of CD8 alpha(+) dendritic cell mediated cross-presentation does not impact atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic mice. Scientific Reports, 5, Article 15414. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep15414
    • Medina, I., Cougoule, C., Drechsler, M., Bermudez, B., Koenen, R. R., Sluimer, J., Wolfs, I., Doering, Y., Herias, V., Gijbels, M., Bot, I., de Jager, S. C. A., Weber, C., Cleutjens, J., van Berkel, T. J. C., Sikkink, K.-J., Mocsai, A., Maridonneau-Parini, I., Soehnlein, O., & Biessen, E. A. L. (2015). Hck/Fgr Kinase Deficiency Reduces Plaque Growth and Stability by Blunting Monocyte Recruitment and Intraplaque Motility. Circulation, 132(6), 490-501. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.012316
    • Theelen, T. L., Lappalainen, J. P., Sluimer, J. C., Gurzeler, E., Cleutjens, J. P., Gijbels, M. J., Biessen, E. A. L., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Alitalo, K., & Yla-Herttuala, S. (2015). Angiopoietin-2 blocking antibodies reduce early atherosclerotic plaque development in mice. Atherosclerosis, 241(2), 297-304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2015.05.018
    • Daeichin, V., Akkus, Z., Skachkov, I., Kooiman, K., Needles, A., Sluimer, J., Janssen, B., Daemen, M. J. A. P., van der Steen, A. F. W., de Jong, N., & Bosch, J. G. (2015). Quantification of Bound Microbubbles in Ultrasound Molecular Imaging. Ieee Transactions on Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 62(6), 1190-1200. https://doi.org/10.1109/TUFFC.2015.006264
    • Van der Donckt, C., Van Herck, J. L., Schrijvers, D. M., Vanhoutte, G., Verhoye, M., Blockx, I., Van Der Linden, A., Bauters, D., Lijnen, H. R., Sluimer, J. C., Roth, L., Van Hove, C. E., Fransen, P., Knaapen, M. W., Hervent, A.-S., De Keulenaer, G. W., Bult, H., Martinet, W., Herman, A. G., & De Meyer, G. R. Y. (2015). Elastin fragmentation inatheroscleroticmice leads to intraplaque neovascularization, plaque rupture, myocardial infarction, stroke, and sudden death. European Heart Journal, 36(17), 1049-1058A. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehu041
    • Biessen, E. A. L., & Sluimer, J. C. (2015). Staging Lymphocyte Presence in Human Atherosclerosis: A Tale Told by Numbers. Journal of the American Heart Association, 4(4), Article e001909. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.115.001909
    • Sluimer, J. C., Gijbels, M. J., & Heeneman, S. (2015). Detection of Intraplaque Hemorrhage in Mouse Atherosclerotic Lesions. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1339, 339-48. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2929-0_24
  • 2014
    • Bot, I., Daissormont, I. T. M. N., Zernecke, A., van Puijvelde, G. H. M., Kramp, B., de Jager, S. C. A., Sluimer, J. C., Manca, M., Herias, V., Westra, M. M., Bot, M., van Santbrink, P. J., van Berkel, T. J. C., Su, L., Skjelland, M., Gullestad, L., Kuiper, J., Halvorsen, B., Aukrust, P., ... Biessen, E. A. L. (2014). CXCR4 blockade induces atherosclerosis by affecting neutrophil function. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 74, 44-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2014.04.021
    • Hanssen, N. M. J., Wouters, K., Huijberts, M. S., Gijbels, M. J., Sluimer, J. C., Scheijen, J. L. J. M., Heeneman, S., Biessen, E. A. L., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Brownlee, M., de Kleijn, D. P., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Pasterkamp, G., & Schalkwijk, C. G. (2014). Higher levels of advanced glycation endproducts in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques are associated with a rupture-prone phenotype. European Heart Journal, 35(17), 1137-1146. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/eht402
    • Marsch, E., Theelen, T. L., Demandt, J. A., Jeurissen, M., van Gink, M., Verjans, R., Janssen, A., Cleutjens, J. P., Meex, S. J., Donners, M. M., Haenen, G., Schalkwijk, C. G., Dubois, L. J., Lambin, P., Mallat, Z., Gijbels, M. J., Heemskerk, J. W., Fisher, E. A., Biessen, E. A., ... Sluimer, J. C. (2014). Reversal of hypoxia in murine atherosclerosis prevents necrotic core expansion by enhancing efferocytosis. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 34(12), 2545-2553. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.114.304023
  • 2013
    • Marsch, E., Sluimer, J. C., & Daemen, M. J. A. P. (2013). Hypoxia in atherosclerosis and inflammation. Current Opinion in Lipidology, 24(5), 393-400. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOL.0b013e32836484a4
    • El Azzouzi, H., Leptidis, S., Dirkx, E., Hoeks, J., van Bree, B., van de Brand, K., McClellan, E. A., Poels, E., Sluimer, J. C., van den Hoogenhof, M. M., Armand, A. S., Yin, X., Langley, S., Bourajjaj, M., Olieslagers, S., Krishnan, J., Vooijs, M., Kurihara, H., Stubbs, A., ... De Windt, L. J. (2013). The Hypoxia-Inducible MicroRNA Cluster miR-199a similar to 214 Targets Myocardial PPAR delta and Impairs Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Oxidation. Cell Metabolism, 18(3), 341-354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2013.08.009
    • Rademakers, T., Douma, K., Hackeng, T. M., Post, M. J., Sluimer, J. C., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Biessen, E. A. L., Heeneman, S., & van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J. (2013). Plaque-Associated Vasa Vasorum in Aged Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice Exhibit Proatherogenic Functional Features In Vivo. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 33(2), 249–256. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.112.300087
    • Gaens, M. E., Backes, W. H., Rozel, S., Lipperts, M., Sanders, S. N., Jaspers, K., Cleutjens, J. P. M., Sluimer, J. C., Heeneman, S., Daemen, M. J. A. P., Welten, R. J., Daemen, J. W., Wildberger, J. E., Kwee, R. M., & Kooi, M. E. (2013). Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque: Model Selection, Reproducibility, and Validation.Radiology, 266(1), 271-279. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.12120499
  • 2012
    • Liao, X., Sluimer, J. C., Wang, Y.-J., Subramanian, M., Brown, K., Pattison, J. S., Robbins, J., Martinez, J., & Tabas, I. (2012). Macrophage Autophagy Plays a Protective Role in Advanced Atherosclerosis. Cell Metabolism, 15(4), 545-553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2012.01.022
  • 2010
    • Kamilic, J., Hamming, I., Kreutz, R., Bolbrinker, J., Siems, W.-E., Nassar, I., Sluimer, J. C., Walther, T., Navis, G. J., & van Goor, H. (2010). Renal ACE2 expression and activity is unaltered during established hypertension in adult SHRSP and TGR(mREN2)27. Hypertension Research, 33(2), 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1038/hr.2009.191
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