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Leon J. Schurgers, PhD

Professor
Department of BIochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands

Leon Schurgers is professor and chair of the department of biochemistry, which is part of the Cardiovascular Research Institute CARIM, Maastricht University. He also is chair of the Stem Cell Research University Maastricht (SCRUM).

His project line aims to elucidate the role of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in vascular remodeling and calcification, and how this is initiated and propagated. Key cellular events of SMCs include phenotypic switching, oxidative stress and formation of extracellular vesicles. The regulation of vitamin K-dependent protein biosynthesis, its sites of action and its putative relationship with remodeling and calcification is insufficient to understand the pathogenesis of vascular ageing at a level that allows the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies.

In his research line, he employs primary SMCs as well as induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived iSMCs and iEC to investigate their role in vascular development and disease. Importantly, these findings will help to understand the role of vascular ageing leading to extensive vascular calcification and provide novel insights in prognostic and preventive measures.

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