Our Group Presents New Insights at the 10th DCVA-NLHI Translational Cardiovascular Research Meeting

Last week, members of our group participated in the 10th DCVA-NLHI Translational Cardiovascular Research Meeting, organized by the Dutch CardioVascular Alliance (DCVA) and the Netherlands Heart Institute (NLHI). The meeting brought together cardiovascular researchers from across the Netherlands to discuss the latest advances in translational cardiovascular science and foster new collaborations.

We are proud that several researchers from our group presented their work during the meeting, showcasing innovative research spanning vascular biology, proteomics, aging, and coronary microvascular dysfunction.

Sofie Huigen presented her research on endothelial and macrophage crosstalk in plaque epigenetic aging. Her work focuses on understanding how interactions between endothelial cells and macrophages contribute to biological aging processes within atherosclerotic plaques, providing new insights into mechanisms underlying vascular aging and cardiovascular disease. For Sofie, this presentation also marked an important personal milestone, as it was her first oral presentation at a scientific congress!

In the field of cardiovascular aging and proteomics, Elisa Dal Canto presented her work entitled “Proteomics of pre-clinical left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in women and men: from cross-sectional associations to longitudinal change.” Her research investigates sex-specific proteomic signatures associated with early stages of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), aiming to improve our understanding of disease development before overt heart failure occurs.

Building upon these findings, Kaiyong Qu delivered two presentations. In his first talk, he explored sex differences in proteomic organ aging and cardiovascular disease risk, highlighting how molecular aging processes may differ between women and men and contribute to cardiovascular risk. In a second presentation, Kaiyong introduced a disease-specific proteomic aging clock for heart failure, demonstrating its potential prognostic value for predicting secondary adverse cardiovascular events.

In a dedicated session on coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and endothelial dysfunction, Elize de Jong presented her work entitled “Integrated immune and endothelial profiling reveals mechanisms of coronary microvascular dysfunction.” By combining immune and endothelial profiling approaches, her research aims to unravel the biological mechanisms underlying CMD, a condition that disproportionately affects women and remains challenging to diagnose and treat.

Beyond presenting our own research, the meeting provided an inspiring environment to exchange ideas, receive valuable feedback, and strengthen collaborations within the Dutch cardiovascular research community.

We congratulate Sofie, Elisa, Kaiyong, and Elize on their great presentations. Stay tuned on our website for updates on their research!