Profile photo Joost Sluijter

Joost Sluijter

Full Professor

Biography

Prof Joost Sluijter is a Medical Biologist and got his PhD in 2004 at the University Utrecht on “Collagen turnover in arterial disease”. After being a postdoctoral research fellow at Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI), he returned to the University Medical Centre Utrecht (the Netherlands) in 2006.  In his research group, they focus on stimulating cardiac regeneration, thereby using approaches that can lead to improved recovery of cardiac tissue upon injury. In recent years, they identified miRNAs that can push cell lineage specifications and how they could improve progenitor cell transplantation, specifically improving local delivery and cell retention. In this work, they have started to use 3D-bioprinting and advanced technologies of cardiac tissue engineering. His group substantially improved cell delivery to the myocardium, from which they also realized that most of the injected cell action was due to the potential paracrine actions. They therefore started to study the use of secreted vesicles by these cells as a novel approach to induce cardiac repair.

Prof Joost Sluijter is heading the Experimental Cardiology Laboratory and is nucleus member of the Regenerative Medicine program of the UMCU, he is nucleus member of the ESC working groups Cellular Biology of the Heart and Cardiovascular Regenerative & Reparative Medicine, has several editorial roles for journals, published >200 papers, and is awardee of an ERC consolidator grant.

Research groups

Inherited heart disease (cardiogenetics)

Research aim

We aim to enhance patient and family lives impacted by inherited cardiomyopathies. Our efforts target gene and variant identification, disease mechanisms, factors influencing disease outcomes, therapy optimization, and exploration of novel therapies.
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Cardiac repair and regeneration

Research aim

Current available therapies for chronic heart diseases only alleviate symptoms and prevent the disease from becoming worse. We aim to improve our understanding and stimulate our natural potential for myocardial repair.
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Molecular science & therapy in heart failure

Research aim

Current available therapies for chronic heart diseases only alleviate symptoms and prevent the disease from becoming worse. We aim to improve our understanding of heart failure and develop new strategies for therapy.
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Recent publications

Statins affect human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes by interfering with mitochondrial function and intracellular acidification. Tim Somers , Sailay Siddiqi, Renee G Maas, Joost Sluijter, Jan Willem Buikema, Petra H. H. van den Broek, Tanne J Meuwissen, Wim J. Morshuis, Frans G. M. Russel, Tom J. J. Schirris
Basic Research in Cardiology, 2024, vol. 119, p.309-327
Healthcare professionals’ perspective on the acceptance of gene therapy Lian Y. Rekker, Erik Renkema, Femke Hilverda, Linda W. van Laake, Pieter A. Doevendans, Joost P.G. Sluijter, Pim van der Harst, J. Peter van Tintelen, Anneline S.J.M. te Riele
Heart Rhythm O2, 2024, vol. 5, p.747-749
Exercise training decreases lactylation and prevents myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury by inhibiting YTHDF2 Gui E. Xu, Pujiao Yu, Yuxue Hu, Wensi Wan, Keting Shen, Xinxin Cui, Jiaqi Wang, Tianhui Wang, Caiyue Cui, Emeli Chatterjee, Guoping Li, Dragos Cretoiu, Joost P.G. Sluijter, Jiahong Xu, Lijun Wang, Junjie Xiao
Basic Research in Cardiology, 2024, vol. 119, p.651-671
Cardiac delivery of modified mRNA using lipid nanoparticles M C I Labonia, M Estapé Senti, P H van der Kraak, M A D Brans, I Dokter, T J Streef, A M Smits, A K Deshantri, S C A de Jager, R M Schiffelers, J P G Sluijter, P Vader
Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society, 2024, vol. 369, p.734-745
Vitamin C facilitates direct cardiac reprogramming by inhibiting reactive oxygen species Juntao Fang, Qiangbing Yang, Renée G C Maas, Michele Buono, Bram Meijlink, Dyonne Lotgerink Bruinenberg, Ernest Diez Benavente, Michal Mokry, Alain van Mil, Li Qian, Marie-José Goumans, Raymond Schiffelers, Zhiyong Lei, Joost P G Sluijter
Stem Cell Research & Therapy [E], 2024, vol. 15, p.19
Extracellular vesicle-mediated delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (Pcsk9) in primary mouse hepatocytes Nazma F Ilahibaks, Thomas A Kluiver, Olivier G de Jong, Saskia C A de Jager, Raymond M Schiffelers, Pieter Vader, Weng Chuan Peng, Zhiyong Lei, Joost P G Sluijter
Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 2024, vol. 13

Fellowships & Awards

2020: Editors’ Choice 2020 World Biomaterials Congress from best biomaterials research articles published 2020

2020: Editors’ Choice 2020 Advanced Healthcare Materials (top 10% most downloaded papers)

2018: Editor’s choice 2018 Cardiovascular Research (most read manuscripts)

2016: European Journal of Clinical Investigation (ESCI) Award for the Best Basic Research Article 2016

2014: Editor’s choice 2013 Cardiovascular Research

2014: Editor’s choice 2014 Cardiovascular Research

2014: Editor’s choice 2014 Cardiovascular Research (most read manuscripts)

2014: Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology

External positions

External Expert Advisory Board of the ERA4Health CARDINNOV project AmnioSMART - advisory role for scientific progression consortium - ERA4Health

Nucleus member working group on Cardiovascular Regenerative & Reparative Medicine - vormgeven vakgebied ESC-WG - European Society Cardiology

Advisory board for ERC Starting and consolidator grants - advice for new applications - University Utrecht

Associate Editor of Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research - Inhoudelijk beoordelen/managen van peer-reviewed werk voor Journal - Springer

Advisory Board van de Graduate School of Life Sciences University Utrecht - adviesraad GSLS voor masterprogramma UU studenten - University Utrecht

Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology - lidmaatschap - European Society of Cardiology

Nucleus member working group on Cellular Biology of the Heart - Adviserende rol om vakgebied verder te brengen - European Society of Cardiology

Lecturer teaching program of undergraduate students at the Faculty of Medicine, Utrecht University. - college geven en cursus coordinator - University Utrecht

Scientific reviewer for various journals - reviewing new manuscripts for various journals, incl circ/circ res/nat/science/NeJoM/JACC/CardRes et - diverse journals