My research group at UMC Utrecht focuses on transforming complex biological data (mostly stemming from ‘omics technologies) into clinically applicable diagnostic tools to reduce cardiovascular misdiagnoses. Our overarching goal is to harness the power of molecular diversity to develop precision biomarkers that revolutionize patient diagnostics.

To date, my research has concentrated on uncovering sex-specific mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis. We identified female-dominant regulatory pathways driven by smooth muscle cell plasticity, revealing a distinctive molecular signature detectable in circulating cell-free DNA methylation from female patients with myocardial infarction. This discovery provides a foundation for a non-invasive diagnostic test specifically designed to address the unmet clinical need in women’s cardiovascular health.

Building on these findings, we have secured private-public funding to accelerate valorisation in collaboration with Utrecht Holdings, aiming to develop and patent a prototype clinical test. This work aligns with UMC Utrecht’s Circulatory Health strategic priority and contributes to improving diagnostic accuracy and prognosis in women with coronary artery disease, an area where traditional testing often falls short.

In the coming years, my research will expand beyond sex differences to incorporate other forms of biological diversity, such as ageing and high-risk disease, within a multidisciplinary framework involving clinical, laboratory, and computational expertise. Ultimately, my vision is to found a UMC Utrecht spin-off company to bring these biomarkers to the clinic, setting a benchmark for translational and valorisation-driven cardiovascular research.