Koen Reesink

Assistant Professor

Dr Koen Reesink was originally trained in Electrical Engineering and has been active in biomedical research for over 20 years. His interests and specialties are vascular structure and function, ventricular-vascular hemodynamic interaction, system dynamics and signal processing. Dr Reesink’s group has made significant and awarded contributions to quantify and interpret arterial stiffness measurements, especially in clinical settings. Reesink leads his research line ‘Constitutive and system characteristics of large arteries’ within in the CARIM programme 'Complex Arrhythmias' (PI Prof. Tammo Delhaas).

Dr Reesink contributes actively to research organisational development, as initiator/chair of the Vascular Network Group, as steering group member of the CARIM Muroidean Facility, and as chair of the Operational Excellence project MF2BMC around the new Biomedical Center (BMC) for animal research in Maastricht.

Dr Reesink’s current research line ‘Constitutive and system characteristics of large arteries’ is focussed on unravelling the multi-scale structure-function relations that underlie the pathophysiology of accelerated arterial stiffening. Quantitative insights into these relations are of utmost importance to conceive, develop and validate therapeutic approaches for de-stiffening arteries, in order to combat the growing epidemic of ‘old-age’ systolic hypertension and its desastrous cardiovascular and societal sequelae.

Reesink is currently involved in the EU H2020 Demonstrator project CARDIS (as WP co-lead), and in the EU grant proposals MSCA-ITN-EJD2019 MINDSHIFT (as coordinator) and COST VascAge (as participant).

Department of Biomedical Engineering
Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
Room number: H3.360
T: +31(0)43 388 16 59

2018
- Heusinkveld, M. H. G., Quicken, S., Holtackers, R. J., Huberts, W., Reesink, K. D., Delhaas, T., & Spronck, B. (2018). Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis of an arterial wall mechanics model for evaluation of vascular drug therapies. Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology, 17(1), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-017-0944-0
- Zhou, T. L., Reesink, K., Schram, M., Koster, A., Schaper, N., Dagnelie, P., van der Kallen, C., Sep, S., Stehouwer, C., & Henry, R. (2018). Blood pressure variability in individuals with and without (pre)diabetes: the Maastricht Study. Journal of Hypertension, 36(2), 259-267. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000001543
2017
- Posthuma, J. J., Reesink, K. D., Schütten, M., Ghossein, C., Spaanderman, M. E., Ten Cate, H., & Schep, G. (2017). A Rare Case of Intermittent Claudication Associated with Impaired Arterial Vasodilation. Case Reports in Vascular Medicine, 2017, Article 4868123. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4868123
- Sörensen, B. M., Houben, A. J. H. M., Berendschot, T. T. J. M., Schouten, J. S. A. G., Kroon, A. A., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Henry, R. M. A., Koster, A., Reesink, K. D., Dagnelie, P. C., Schaper, N. C., Schalkwijk, C. G., Schram, M. T., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2017). Hyperglycemia Is the Main Mediator of Prediabetes- and Type 2 Diabetes-Associated Impairment of Microvascular Function: The Maastricht Study. Diabetes Care, 40(8), e103-e105. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc17-0574
- de Lepper, A. G. W., Herold, I. H. F., Saporito, S., Bouwman, R. A., Mischi, M., Korsten, H. H. M., Reesink, K. D., & Houthuizen, P. (2017). Noninvasive pulmonary transit time: A new parameter for general cardiac performance. Echocardiography-A Journal of Cardiovascular Ultrasound and Allied Techniques, 34(8), 1138-1145. https://doi.org/10.1111/echo.13590
- Spronck, B., Delhaas, T., De Lepper, A. G. W., Giroux, J., Goldwasser, F., Boutouyrie, P., Alivon, M., & Reesink, K. D. (2017). Patient-specific blood pressure correction technique for arterial stiffness: evaluation in a cohort on anti-angiogenic medication. Hypertension Research, 40(8), 752-757. https://doi.org/10.1038/hr.2017.32
- Spronck, B., Avolio, A. P., Tan, I., Butlin, M., Reesink, K. D., & Delhaas, T. (2017). Reply: physics cannot be disputed. Journal of Hypertension, 35(7), 1523-1525. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000001350
- Bloksgaard, M., Leurgans, T. M., Spronck, B., Heusinkveld, M. H. G., Thorsted, B., Rosenstand, K., Nissen, I., Hansen, U. M., Brewer, J. R., Bagatolli, L. A., Rasmussen, L. M., Irmukhamedov, A., Reesink, K. D., & De Mey, J. G. R. (2017). Imaging and modeling of acute pressure-induced changes of collagen and elastin microarchitectures in pig and human resistance arteries. American Journal of Physiology-heart and Circulatory Physiology, 313(1), H164-H178. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00110.2017
- Segers, P., O'Rourke, M. F., Parker, K., Westerhof, N., Hughes, A., Participants 2016 Workshop, Spronck, B., & Reesink, K. (2017). Towards a consensus on the understanding and analysis of the pulse waveform: Results from the 2016 Workshop on Arterial Hemodynamics: Past, present and future. Artery Research, 18, 75-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2017.03.004
- Veugen, M. G. J., Henry, R. M. A., van Sloten, T. T., Hermeling, E., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Schram, M. T., Dagnelie, P. C., Schalkwijk, C. G., Kroon, A. A., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Reesink, K. D. (2017). The systolic-diastolic difference in carotid stiffness is increased in type 2 diabetes: The Maastricht Study. Journal of Hypertension, 35(5), 1052-1060. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000001298
- Bruno, R. M., Reesink, K. D., & Ghiadoni, L. (2017). Advances in the non-invasive assessment of vascular dysfunction in metabolic syndrome and diabetes: Focus on endothelium, carotid mechanics and renal vessels. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 27(2), 121-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2016.09.004
- Spronck, B., Avolio, A. P., Tan, I., Butlin, M., Reesink, K. D., & Delhaas, T. (2017). Arterial stiffness index beta and cardio-ankle vascular index inherently depend on blood pressure but can be readily corrected. Journal of Hypertension, 35(1), 98-104. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000001132
- Spronck, B., Delhaas, T., Butlin, M., Reesink, K., & Aviolo, A. P. (2017). Options for Dealing with Pressure Dependence of Pulse Wave Velocity as a Measure of Arterial Stiffness: An Update of Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) and CAVI₀. Pulse, 5(1-4), 106-114. https://doi.org/10.1159/000479322
2016
- Geijselaers, S. L. C., Sep, S. J. S., Schram, M. T., van Boxtel, M. P. J., van Sloten, T. T., Henry, R. M. A., Reesink, K. D., Kroon, A. A., Koster, A., Schaper, N. C., Dagnelie, P. C., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Biessels, G. J., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2016). Carotid stiffness is associated with impairment of cognitive performance in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes. The Maastricht Study. Atherosclerosis, 253, 186-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.07.912
- van Mil, A., Greyling, A., Zock, P. L., Geleijnse, J. M., Hopman, M. T., Mensink, R. P., Reesink, K. D., Green, D. J., Ghiadoni, L., & Thijssen, D. H. (2016). Impact of volunteer-related and methodology-related factors on the reproducibility of brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation: analysis of 672 individual repeated measurements. Journal of Hypertension, 34(9), 1738-1745. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000001012
- Holtackers, R. J., Spronck, B., Heusinkveld, M. H. G., Crombag, G., op het Roodt, J., Delhaas, T., Kooi, E., Reesink, K. D., & Hermeling, E. (2016). Head orientation should be considered in ultrasound studies on carotid artery distensibility. Journal of Hypertension, 34(8), 1551-1555. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000000985
- Tan, I., Spronck, B., Kiat, H., Barin, E., Reesink, K. D., Delhaas, T., Avolio, A. P., & Butlin, M. (2016). Heart Rate Dependency of Large Artery Stiffness. Hypertension, 68(1), 236-242. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.07462
- Spronck, B., Megens, R. T. A., Reesink, K. D., & Delhaas, T. (2016). A method for three-dimensional quantification of vascular smooth muscle orientation: application in viable murine carotid arteries. Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology, 15(2), 419-432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-015-0699-4
- Spronck, B., Delhaas, T., op het Roodt, J., & Reesink, K. D. (2016). Carotid Artery Applanation Tonometry Does Not Cause Significant Baroreceptor Activation. American Journal of Hypertension, 29(3), 299-302. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajh/hpv064
- Spronck, B., Walmsley, J., Palau-Caballero, G., Reesink, K. D., & Delhaas, T. (2016). Can significance of aortic sinus vortices be assessed using the assumptions in the model of Aboelkassem et al.?Journal of Theoretical Biology, 389, 304-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2015.05.032
2015
- Vossen, L. M., Schurgers, L. J., van Varik, B. J., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Vermeer, C., Meeder, J. G., Rahel, B. M., van Cauteren, Y. J. M., Hoffland, G. A., Rennenberg, R. J. M. W., Reesink, K. D., de Leeuw, P. W., & Kroon, A. A. (2015). Menaquinone-7 Supplementation to Reduce Vascular Calcification in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: Rationale and Study Protocol (VitaK-CAC Trial). Nutrients, 7(11), 8905-8915. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7115443
- Engelen, L., Bossuyt, J., Ferreira, I., van Bortel, L. M., Reesink, K. D., Segers, P., Stehouwer, C. D., Laurent, S., & Boutouyrie, P. (2015). Reference values for local arterial stiffness. Part A: carotid artery. Journal of Hypertension, 33(10), 1981-1996. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000000654
- Bossuyt, J., Engelen, L., Ferreira, I., Stehouwer, C. D., Boutouyrie, P., Laurent, S., Segers, P., Reesink, K., Van Bortel, L. M., & Reference Values for Arterial Measurements Collaboration (2015). Reference values for local arterial stiffness. Part B: femoral artery. Journal of Hypertension, 33(10), 1997-2009. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000000655
- Spronck, B., Heusinkveld, M. H. G., Donders, W. P., de Lepper, A. G. W., Op't Roodt, J., Kroon, A. A., Delhaas, T., & Reesink, K. D. (2015). A constitutive modeling interpretation of the relationship among carotid artery stiffness, blood pressure, and age in hypertensive subjects. American Journal of Physiology-heart and Circulatory Physiology, 308(6), H568-H582. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00290.2014
- van Bussel, F. C. G., van Bussel, B. C. T., Hoeks, A. P. G., op 't Roodt, J., Henry, R. M. A., Ferreira, I., Vanmolkot, F. H. M., Schalkwijk, C. G., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Reesink, K. D. (2015). A Control Systems Approach to Quantify Wall Shear Stress Normalization by Flow-Mediated Dilation in the Brachial Artery. PLOS ONE, 10(2), Article e0115977. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115977
- Spronck, B., Heusinkveld, M. H. G., Vanmolkot, F. H., 't Roodt, J. O., Hermeling, E., Delhaas, T., Kroon, A. A., & Reesink, K. D. (2015). Pressure-dependence of arterial stiffness: potential clinical implications. Journal of Hypertension, 33(2), 330-338. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000000407
- Kornmann, L. M., Zernecke, A., Curfs, D. M. J., Janssen, B. J. A., Weber, C., de Winther, M. P. J., Reneman, R. S., Hoeks, A. P. G., & Reesink, K. D. (2015). Echogenic perfluorohexane-loaded macrophages adhere in vivo to activated vascular endothelium in mice, an explorative study. Cardiovascular Ultrasound, 13, Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-7120-13-1
2014
- Spronck, B., Merken, J. J., Reesink, K. D., Kroon, W., & Delhaas, T. (2014). Ureter Smooth Muscle Cell Orientation in Rat Is Predominantly Longitudinal. PLOS ONE, 9(1), Article e86207. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0086207
- Spronck, B., Megens, R. T. A., Reesink, K. D., & Delhaas, T. (2014). Three-dimensional vascular smooth muscle orientation as quantitatively assessed by multiphoton microscopy: mouse carotid arteries do show a helix. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2014, 202-5. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2014.6943564
2013
- Boly, C. A., Reesink, K. D., van den Tol, M. P., Jansen, E. K., Westerhof, B. E., Boer, C., & Bouwman, R. A. (2013). Minimally invasive intraoperative estimation of left-ventricular end-systolic elastance with phenylephrine as loading intervention. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 111(5), 750-758. https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aet230
2012
- Idzenga, T., Reesink, K. D., van Swelm, Y., Hansen, H. H. G., Holewijn, S., & de Korte, C. L. (2012). NONINVASIVE ESTIMATION OF THE BLOOD PRESSURE WAVEFORM IN THE CAROTID ARTERY USING CONTINUOUS FINGER BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 38(11), 1998-2006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2012.07.004
- Arts, T., Reesink, K., Kroon, W., & Delhaas, T. (2012). Simulation of adaptation of blood vessel geometry to flow and pressure: Implications for arterio-venous impedance. Mechanics Research Communications, 42, 15-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechrescom.2011.10.005
- Hermeling, E., Vermeersch, S. J., Rietzschel, E. R., de Buyzere, M. L., Gillebert, T. C., van de Laar, R. J., Ferreira, I., Hoeks, A. P., van Bortel, L. M., Reneman, R. S., Segers, P., & Reesink, K. D. (2012). The change in arterial stiffness over the cardiac cycle rather than diastolic stiffness is independently associated with left ventricular mass index in healthy middle-aged individuals. Journal of Hypertension, 30(2), 396-402. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0b013e32834e4b75
2011
- Weseler, A. R., Ruijters, E. J. B., Reesink, K. D., Haenen, G. R. M. M., & Bast, A. (2011). Pleiotropic benefit of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols on vascular health - a randomized controlled clinical pilot study. PLOS ONE, 6(12), Article 28460. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028460
- Ganushchak, Y. M., Reesink, K. D., Weerwind, P. W., & Maessen, J. G. (2011). The effect of oxygenator mechanical characteristics on energy transfer during clinical cardiopulmonary bypass. Perfusion, 26(1), 39-44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267659110385606
2010
- Simons, A. P., Lance, M. D., Reesink, K. D., van der Veen, F. H., Weerwind, P. W., & Maessen, J. G. (2010). Quantitative assessment of cardiac load-responsiveness during extracorporeal life support: case and rationale. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 5, 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/1749-8090-5-30
- Kornmann, L. M., Reesink, K. D., Reneman, R. S., & Hoeks, A. P. G. (2010). CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF TARGETED ULTRASOUND CONTRAST AGENTS FOR MOLECULAR IMAGING IN LARGE ARTERIES. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 36(2), 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2009.09.009
- Hermeling, E., Hoeks, A. P. G., Winkens, M. H. M., Waltenberger, J. L., Reneman, R. S., Kroon, A. A., & Reesink, K. D. (2010). Noninvasive Assessment of Arterial Stiffness Should Discriminate Between Systolic and Diastolic Pressure Ranges. Hypertension, 55(1), 124-130. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.109.143867
- Simons, A. P., Reesink, K. D., Lance, M. D., van der Nagel, T., van der Veen, F. H., Weerwind, P. W., & Maessen, J. G. (2010). Reserve-driven flow control for extracorporeal life support: proof of principle. Perfusion, 25(1), 25-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267659109360284
- Megens, R. T. A., Reitsma, S., Prinzen, L., Egbrink, M. G. A. O., Engels, W., Leenders, P. J. A., Brunenberg, E. J. L., Reesink, K. D., Janssen, B. J. A., Romeny, B. M. T. H., Slaaf, D. W., & van Zandvoort, M. A. M. J. (2010). In vivo high-resolution structural imaging of large arteries in small rodents using two-photon laser scanning microscopy. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 15(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3281672
- Simons, J. M. M., Kornmann, L. M., Reesink, K. D., Hoeks, A. P. G., Kemmere, M. F., Meuldijk, J., & Keurentjes, J. T. F. (2010). Monodisperse perfluorohexane emulsions for targeted ultrasound contrast imaging. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 20(19), 3918-3923. https://doi.org/10.1039/b922437h
2009
- Brouwers, M. C., Reesink, K. D., van Greevenbroek, M. M., Meinders, J. M., van der Kallen, C. J., Schaper, N., Hoeks, A. P., & Stehouwer, C. D. (2009). Increased arterial stiffness in familial combined hyperlipidemia. Journal of Hypertension, 27(5), 1009-16. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0b013e32832991fa

Overview

Latest news & events

Professorship Julie Staals

22 April 2024

ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Prof. Andy Baker

15 April 2024

Koen Reesink

Assistant Professor