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Uyên Châu Nguyên wins UM Dissertation Prize 2025

Uyên Châu Nguyên wins UM Dissertation Prize 2025

29 January 2026

During the Dies Natalis of Maastricht University, Uyên Châu Nguyên received the UM Dissertation Prize 2025.

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Global research network launched to study menopause and heart health

Global research network launched to study menopause and heart health

20 January 2026

Ten international health research funders, including the Dutch Heart Foundation, are investing $10 million in a new global research network to improve early prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. The initiative focuses on understanding how menopause affects heart health and how early intervention can reduce risk.

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Frits Prinzen

Professor

Frits Prinzen is emeritus professor of Physiology. He studied Medical Biology in Utrecht and defended his PhD in Maastricht in 1982. His research focusses on the relation between the electrical activation and mechanical contraction and pump function of the heart, with specific application to pacemaker therapies in heart failure. His work is highly translational, ranging from preclinical to clinical research and more recently also using computer simulations. Results from his work provided new insights in and opportunities for pacemaker therapies. He has participated in the CTMM-COHFAR consortium and has been and is workpackage leader in several EU-funded projects, including an International Training Network (Personalised in silico Cardiology). Several of his team members achieved personal grants (ZonMw Veni, Vidi, Clinical Fellow; Netherlands Heart Foundation junior and senior postdoc; young staff member). Besides, he ran multiple investigator-initiated studies that were funded by industry. He has been chairman of the Cardiovascular System Dynamics Society and of the Innovation Committee of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA). Currently he is member of the Scientific Initiatives Committee of EHRA. He is (co-)author on 330 scientific articles, with >10,000 citations and H-index of 56.

His main research topic is regional cardiac mechanics and long-term structural and functional adaptations to various conditions, with emphasis on asynchronous electrical activation and cardiac resynchronisation. Primarily animal experimental work, but with important links to Biomedical Engineering (computer models of cardiac electrophysiology and mechanics) and Cardiology (patients with pacemakers, bundle branch block, heart failure). With this background Prof. Frits Prinzen is a world expert on pacing therapies, both for bradycardia and for heart failure (cardiac resynchronisation therapy, CRT).

Frits-prinzen
Department of Physiology
Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
T: +31(0)43 3881080
  • 2025
    • van Koll, J., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Joza, J., Burri, H., Curila, K., Bressi, E., Grieco, D., van Kuijk, S. M. J., Rijks, J. H. J., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Smits, K. C., Prinzen, F. W., Rademakers, L. M., Vernooy, K., & Nguyên, U. C. (2025). Heterogeneity in clinical judgment of septal lead position and capture type in left bundle branch area pacing. Heart Rhythm, 22(12), 3218-3227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.03.1959
    • Prinzen, F. W., & van der Vusse, G. J. (2025). Questionable metabolic flexibility during cardiac resynchronization therapy. European Heart Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf818
    • Prinzen, F. W., & Lumens, J. (2025). Atrioventricular Interval Modulation: Looking Beyond Blood Pressure Needed?JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, 11(11), 2505-2508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2025.07.022
    • Mizner, J., Beela, A., Linkova, H., Vesela, J., Sussenbek, O., Stros, P., Smisek, R., Jurak, P., Leinveber, P., Lipoldova, J., Nagy, A., Waldauf, P., Lumens, J., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F., & Curila, K. (2025). Electrical and mechanical interventricular dyssynchrony coupling in patients with bradycardia: A UHF-ECG validation trial. Heart Rhythm, 22(9), 2382-2390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.02.031
    • Prinzen, F. W. (2025). Left Ventricular Mechanics During Left Ventricular Septal Pacing are Similar to Those During Left Bundle Branch Pacing. JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, 11(8), 1862-1865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2025.04.036
    • Ren, H., Qin, Q., Dong, Q., Ainiwaer, A., Yuan, H., Zhu, H., Cao, Z., Chen, Y., Wesselius, A., Zeegers, M. P., Prinzen, F. W., Chen, L., Yu, E. Y.-W., Luo, H., & TREND Cohort Study Investigators (2025). Smartphone-Measured Heart Sounds for Atrial Fibrillation Screening in Community Populations. Circulation, 152(4), 283-285. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.073828
    • 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
    • Zamorano, J. L., Vörös, G., Calvi, V., Osca, J., Quesada, A., Vernooy, K., Martinez, J. G., Maass, A. H., Nof, E., Tolosana, J. M., Pardo, M., Barr, C., Fernández, I., Merino, J. L., Ellery, S., Ricoy-Martínez, E., Belotti, G., Seidlmayer, L., Garcia, S., ... Van Erven, L. (2025). Sex-specific response to cardiac resynchronization therapy: the BIO|WOMEN trial. International Journal of Cardiology, 438, Article 133526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2025.133526
    • Lempers, T. E. M., Smits, K. C., van Koll, J., Dural, M., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Lumens, J., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., van Dam, P., & Nguyên, U. C. (2025). An in-silico analysis of the influence of left bundle branch block and myocardial fibrosis on electrocardiographic QRS duration and morphology and vectorcardiographic QRS area. Journal of Electrocardiology, 91, Article 154043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2025.154043
    • Li, Y., Zhao, Z., Ainiwaer, A., Mei, D., Zhang, P., Prinzen, F. W., & Luo, H. (2025). Smartphone for heart sound measurement in hospital: feasibility and influencing factors. European Heart Journal - Digital Health, 6(3), 486-495. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjdh/ztaf007
    • Manetti, C. A., van Osta, N., Beela, A. S., Herbots, L., Prinzen, F. W., Delhaas, T., & Lumens, J. (2025). Impact of myocardial phenotype on optimal atrioventricular delay settings during biventricular and left bundle-branch pacing at rest and during exercise: insights from a virtual patient study. EP Europace, 27(4), Article euaf082. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaf082
    • Achten, A., Weerts, J., van Koll, J., Ghossein, M., Mourmans, S. G. J., Aizpurua, A. B., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., Rocca, H.-P. B.-L., Knackstedt, C., & van Empel, V. P. M. (2025). Prevalence and prognostic value of ventricular conduction delay in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. IJC Heart and Vasculature, 57, Article 101622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcha.2025.101622
    • Smits, K. C., Bressi, E., Rademakers, L. M., Rijks, J. H. J., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Engels, E. B., Isaacs, A., Hermans, B. J. M., Grieco, D., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., & Nguyen, U. C. (2025). Time-dependent repolarization changes following left bundle branch area pacing vs. conventional biventricular pacing in patients with dyssynchronous heart failure. EP Europace, 27(3), Article euaf034. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaf034
    • Beela, A. S., Manetti, C. A., Prinzen, F. W., Delhaas, T., Herbots, L., & Lumens, J. (2025). The mechanistic interaction between mechanical dyssynchrony and filling pressure in cardiac resynchronization therapy candidates. European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 26(3), 424-434. Article jeae286. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeae286
    • Plesinger, F., Hassouna, S., Carna, Z., Vesela, J., Smisek, R., Vargova, E., Sobota, V., Koscova, Z., Nejedly, P., Viscor, I., Prinzen, F. W., Jurak, P., Halamek, J., & Osmancik, P. (2025). Automatically optimized vectorcardiographic features are associated with recurrence of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion. Scientific Reports, 15(1), Article 1257. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85340-4
  • 2024
    • van Loon, T., Rijks, J., van Koll, J., Wolffs, J., Cornelussen, R., van Osta, N., Luermans, J., Prinzen, F., Linz, D., van Empel, V., Delhaas, T., Vernooy, K., & Lumens, J. (2024). Accelerated atrial pacing reduces left-heart filling pressure: a combined clinical-computational study. European Heart Journal, 45(46), 4953-4964. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae718
    • Rijks, J. H. J., Heckman, L., Westra, S., Cornelussen, R., Ghosh, S., Curila, K., Smisek, R., Grieco, D., Bressi, E., Nguyen, U. C., Lumens, J., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Linz, D., Prinzen, F. W., Luermans, J. G. L. M., & Vernooy, K. (2024). Assessment of ventricular electrical heterogeneity in left bundle branch pacing and left ventricular septal pacing by using various electrophysiological methods. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 35(12), 2282-2292. Article 16435. https://doi.org/10.1111/jce.16435
    • Bressi, E., Sedlacek, K., Curila, K., Cano, O., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Rijks, J. H. J., Meiburg, R., Smits, K. C., Nguyen, U. C., De Ruvo, E., Calo, L., Kron, J., Ellenbogen, K. A., Prinzen, F., Vernooy, K., & Grieco, D. (2024). Clinical impact and predictors of periprocedural myocardial injury among patients undergoing left bundle branch area pacing. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 67(9), 2039-2050. Article e17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-024-01863-2
    • Beela, A. S., Rijks, J. H. J., Manetti, C. A., Vernooy, K., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Prinzen, F. W., Delhaas, T., Herbots, L., & Lumens, J. (2024). Left bundle branch block criteria in the 2021 ESC guidelines on CRT: A step back in identifying CRT candidates?European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 25(9), e213-e215. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeae164
    • Ghossein, M. A., de Kok, J. W. T. M., Eerenberg, F., van Rosmalen, F., Boereboom, R., Duisberg, F., Verharen, K., Sels, J. E. M., Delnoij, T., Geyik, Z., Mingels, A. M. A., Meex, S. J. R., van Kuijk, S. M. J., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Ghossein, C., Prinzen, F. W., van der Horst, I. C. C., Vernooy, K., van Bussel, B. C. T., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2024). Monitoring of myocardial injury by serial measurements of QRS area and T area: The MaastrICCht cohort. Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology, 29(5), Article e70001. https://doi.org/10.1111/anec.70001
    • Brandt, Y., Lubrecht, J. M., Adriaans, B. P., Aben, J.-P., Gerretsen, S. C., Ghossein-Doha, C., Spaanderman, M. E. A., Prinzen, F. W., & Kooi, M. E. (2024). Quantification of left ventricular myocardial strain: Comparison between MRI tagging, MRI feature tracking, and ultrasound speckle tracking. NMR in Biomedicine, 37(9), Article e5164. https://doi.org/10.1002/nbm.5164
    • Aydeniz, E., van Rosmalen, F., de Kok, J., Martens, B., Mingels, A. M. A., Canakci, M. E., Mihl, C., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., Wildberger, J. E., van der Horst, I. C. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2024). The association between coronary artery calcification and vectorcardiography in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients: the Maastricht Intensive Care COVID cohort. Intensive Care Medicine Experimental, 12(1), Article 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40635-024-00611-0
    • Leinveber, P., Halamek, J., Curila, K., Prinzen, F., Lipoldova, J., Matejkova, M., Smisek, R., Plesinger, F., Nagy, A., Novak, M., Viscor, I., Vondra, V., & Jurak, P. (2024). Ultra-high-frequency ECG volumetric and negative derivative epicardial ventricular electrical activation pattern. Scientific Reports, 14(1), Article 5681. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55789-w
    • Nguyên, U. C., Vernooy, K., & Prinzen, F. W. (2024). Quest for the ideal assessment of electrical ventricular dyssynchrony in cardiac resynchronization therapy. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology Plus, 7, Article 100061. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmccpl.2024.100061
    • Nguyên, U. C., Rijks, J. H. J., Plesinger, F., Rademakers, L. M., Luermans, J., Smits, K. C., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Prinzen, F. W., Vernooy, K., Halamek, J., Curila, K., & Jurak, P. (2024). Ultra-High-Frequency ECG in Cardiac Pacing and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: From Technical Concept to Clinical Application. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 11(3), Article 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd11030076
    • Nguyên, U. C., Prinzen, F. W., & Vernooy, K. (2024). Left ventricular lead placement in cardiac resynchronization therapy: Current data and potential explanations for the lack of benefit. Heart Rhythm, 21(2), 197-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.10.003
    • Koopsen, T., Gerrits, W., van Osta, N., van Loon, T., Wouters, P., Prinzen, F. W., Vernooy, K., Delhaas, T., Teske, A. J., Meine, M., Cramer, M. J., & Lumens, J. (2024). Virtual pacing of a patient’s digital twin to predict left ventricular reverse remodelling after cardiac resynchronization therapy. EP Europace, 26(1), Article euae009. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euae009
    • Dural, M., Ghossein, M. A., Gerrits, W., Daniels, F., Meine, M., Maass, A. H., Rienstra, M., Prinzen, F. W., Vernooy, K., & van Stipdonk, A. M. W. (2024). Association of vectorcardiographic T-wave area with clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in cardiac resynchronization therapy. EP Europace, 26(1), Article euad370. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euad370
  • 2023
    • Wouters, P. C., Zweerink, A., van Everdingen, W. M., Ghossein, M. A., de Roest, G. J., Cramer, M. J., Doevendans, P. A. F. M., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., Allaart, C. P., & Meine, M. (2023). Prognostic implications of invasive hemodynamics during cardiac resynchronization therapy: stroke work outperforms dP/dt<inf>max</inf>Heart Rhythm O2, 4(12), 777-783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hroo.2023.11.003
    • Westphal, P., Luo, H., Shahmohammadi, M., Prinzen, F. W., Delhaas, T., & Cornelussen, R. N. (2023). Machine learning–powered, device-embedded heart sound measurement can optimize AV delay in patients with CRT. Heart Rhythm, 20(9), 1316-1324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.05.025
    • Munneke, A. G., Lumens, J., Arts, T., Prinzen, F. W., & Delhaas, T. (2023). Myocardial perfusion and flow reserve in the asynchronous heart: mechanistic insight from a computational model. Journal of Applied Physiology, 135(3), 489-499. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00181.2023
    • Ellenbogen, K. A., Auricchio, A., Burri, H., Gold, M. R., Leclercq, C., Leyva, F., Linde, C., Jastrzebski, M., Prinzen, F., & Vernooy, K. (2023). The evolving state of cardiac resynchronization therapy and conduction system pacing: 25 years of research at EP Europace journal. EP Europace, 25(8), 1-16. Article euad168. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euad168
    • Beela, A. S., Manetti, C. A., Lyon, A., Prinzen, F. W., Delhaas, T., Herbots, L., & Lumens, J. (2023). Impact of Estimated Left Atrial Pressure on Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Outcome. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(15), Article 4908. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12154908
    • Meiburg, R., Rijks, J. H. J., Beela, A. S., Bressi, E., Grieco, D., Delhaas, T., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Prinzen, F. W., Vernooy, K., & Lumens, J. (2023). Comparison of novel ventricular pacing strategies using an electro-mechanical simulation platform. EP Europace, 25(6), 1-11. Article euad144. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euad144
    • Petras, A., Gsell, M. A. F., Augustin, C. M., Rodriguez-Padilla, J., Jung, A., Strocchi, M., Prinzen, F. W., Niederer, S. A., Plank, G., & Vigmond, E. J. (2023). Mechanoelectric effects in healthy cardiac function and under Left Bundle Branch Block pathology. Computers in Biology and Medicine, 156(1), Article 106696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106696
    • Rijks, J., Ghossein, M. A., Wouters, P. C., Dural, M., Maass, A. H., Meine, M., Kloosterman, M., Luermans, J., Prinzen, F. W., Vernooy, K., & van Stipdonk, A. M. W. (2023). Comparison of the relation of the ESC 2021 and ESC 2013 definitions of left bundle branch block with clinical and echocardiographic outcome in cardiac resynchronization therapy. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 34(4), 1006-1014. https://doi.org/10.1111/jce.15882
    • Luo, H., Westphal, P., Shahmohammadi, M., Heckman, L. I. B., Kuiper, M., Cornelussen, R. N., Delhaas, T., & Prinzen, F. W. (2023). Heart sound-derived systolic time intervals for atrioventricular delay optimization in cardiac resynchronization therapy. Heart Rhythm, 20(4), 572-579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2022.12.031
    • Curila, K., Jurak, P., Prinzen, F., Jastrzebski, M., Waldauf, P., Halamek, J., Tothova, M., Znojilova, L., Smisek, R., Kach, J., Poviser, L., Linkova, H., Plesinger, F., Moskal, P., Viscor, I., Vondra, V., Leinveber, P., & Osmancik, P. (2023). Bipolar anodal septal pacing with direct LBB capture preserves physiological ventricular activation better than unipolar left bundle branch pacing. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10(1), Article 1140988. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1140988
    • Kircanski, B., Boveda, S., Prinzen, F., Sorgente, A., Anic, A., Conte, G., & Burri, H. (2023). Corrigendum: Conduction system pacing in everyday clinical practice: EHRA physician survey. EP Europace, 25(3), 1199-1199. Article euad037. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euad037
    • Wouters, P. C., van de Leur, R. R., Vessies, M. B., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Ghossein, M. A., Hassink, R. J., Doevendans, P. A., van der Harst, P., Maass, A. H., Prinzen, F. W., Vernooy, K., Meine, M., & van Es, R. (2023). Electrocardiogram-based deep learning improves outcome prediction following cardiac resynchronization therapy. European Heart Journal, 44(8), 680–692. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac617
    • Nies, H. M. J. M., Gommers, S., Bijvoet, G. P., Heckman, L. I. B., Prinzen, F. W., Vogel, G., Van de Heyning, C. M., Chiribiri, A., Wildberger, J. E., Mihl, C., & Holtackers, R. J. (2023). Histopathological validation of semi-automated myocardial scar quantification techniques for dark-blood late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging. European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 24(3), 364-372. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeac107
    • Kircanski, B., Boveda, S., Prinzen, F., Sorgente, A., Anic, A., Conte, G., & Burri, H. (2023). Conduction system pacing in everyday clinical practice: EHRA physician survey. EP Europace, 25(2), 682-687. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euac201
    • Maffessanti, F., Jadczyk, T., Wilczek, J., Conte, G., Caputo, M. L., Biernat, J., Cybulska, M., Caluori, G., Regoli, F., Krause, R., Wojakowski, W., Prinzen, F. W., Auricchio, A., & Golba, K. S. (2023). Electromechanical factors associated with favourable outcome in cardiac resynchronization therapy. EP Europace, 25(2), 546-553. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euac157
    • Luo, H., Weerts, J., Bekkers, A., Achten, A., Lievens, S., Smeets, K., van Empel, V., Delhaas, T., & Prinzen, F. W. (2023). Association between phonocardiography and echocardiography in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. European Heart Journal - Digital Health, 4(1), 4-11. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjdh/ztac073
    • Prinzen, F. W., Lumens, J., Duchenne, J., & Vernooy, K. (2023). Erratum to: Electro-energetics of Biventricular, Septal and Conduction System Pacing. Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review, 12, Article e19. https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2023.12.er1
    • van Nieuwenhoven, F. A., Schroen, B., Barile, L., van Middendorp, L., Prinzen, F. W., & Auricchio, A. (2023). Plasma Extracellular Vesicles as Liquid Biopsy to Unravel the Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiac Reverse Remodeling Following Resynchronization Therapy?Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(2), Article 665. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12020665
  • 2022
    • Wouters, P. C., van Everdingen, W. M., Vernooy, K., Geelhoed, B., Allaart, C. P., Rienstra, M., Maass, A. H., Vos, M. A., Prinzen, F. W., Meine, M., & Cramer, M. J. (2022). Does mechanical dyssynchrony in addition to QRS area ensure sustained response to cardiac resynchronization therapy?European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 23(12), 1628-1635. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeab264
    • Shahmohammadi, M., Huberts, W., Luo, H. X., Westphal, P., Cornelussen, R. N., Prinzen, F. W., & Delhaas, T. (2022). Hemodynamics-driven mathematical model of third heart sound generation. Frontiers in physiology, 13, Article 847164. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.847164
    • Ploeg, M. C., Munts, C., Seddiqi, T., ten Brink, T. J. L., Breemhaar, J., Moroni, L., Prinzen, F. W., & van Nieuwenhoven, F. A. (2022). Culturing of Cardiac Fibroblasts in Engineered Heart Matrix Reduces Myofibroblast Differentiation but Maintains Their Response to Cyclic Stretch and Transforming Growth Factor β1. Bioengineering, 9(10), Article 551. https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9100551
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