A coagulist who loves to write with fountain pens.
That is the standard one sentence description that I mostly used to describe myself. As always, that is only a small part of the story.
Yes, I do have hobbies: cycling, running, photography, fountain pens, reading, and many more areas of interest. However, this website is ment to be an overview of my scientific interests.
I studied biology at the University of Nijmegen and graduated in 1997. Following university, I started as a PhD student in the group of Cees Vermeer and Berry Soute on the topic of mutations altering the activity of γ-glutamyl carboxylase and bioavailability of vitamin K in relation to arterial calcification.
Upon finalization of the PhD thesis, I started in 2002 as a post-doctoral fellowship at the laboratory of Prof. Dr. H. ten Cate, Maastricht University, translating into a permanent position in 2007 at the Departments of Biochemistry and Internal Medicine of Maastricht University.
The focus of my work is on arterial thrombosis and the relation between blood coagulation and inflammation. Following the observation that almost all coagulation factors are present or expressed within the arterial vessel wall and more precisely, within atherosclerotic lesions, the research focused on the role of hypercoagulability and cardiovascular disease. Using experimental models, it was demonstrated that active coagulation enzymes, mainly thrombin and factor Xa, contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Inhibition of the coagulation enzymes causes diminished plaque formation and recent data suggest that regression of atherosclerosis is possible through inhibition of factor Xa. Besides atherosclerosis, the impact of hypercoagulability on the development and progression of atrial fibrillation was demonstrated, thereby providing additional evidence that coagulation is a key player in development of cardiovascular disease. In line with this, the applicability of assays for plasma thrombin generation and active coagulation enzymes as predictors for thrombotic cardiovascular events is studied in animal models and patient cohorts. Research work includes the development of biomarker assays and subsequent technical and clinical validation.