Profile photo Ruigrok

Ruigrok

Full Professor

Strategic program(s):

Biography

My name is Ynte Ruigrok and I work as a stroke neurologist and a professor in genetics of cerebrovascular diseases at the department of Neurology. Both in my clinical work and my research I focus on intracranial aneurysms. Intracranial aneurysms are present in 3% of the population and usually go undetected until rupture occurs leading to an often fatal aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (ASAH). The overall aim of my research is to identify the patients who are at high risk of developing aneurysms and a subsequent ASAH. It is my ambition to increase insight in underlying disease processes, improve detection of aneurysms in high risk patients and optimize treatment. My research has a strong translational view in which I combine genetic, clinically applied and translational investigations on intracranial aneurysms

For my research I have received several prestigious grants, including a Clinical Established Investigator Grant of the Dutch Heart Foundation in 2022 and an ERC starting grant in 2019.

To advance aneurysm genetic research I have initiated the intracranial aneurysm working group within the international stroke genetics consortium. This cohort enables me to provide insight in which genetic variants and/or genes are associated with intracranial aneurysms and thus make a major contribution to unravelling the genetic architecture of the disease. Recently a large scale genome wide association study (GWAS) on intracranial aneurysms was performed. Based on its findings now more than half of the disease heritability can be explained (Bakker et al, Nature Genetics 2020). Currently my group is performing translational research studies for understanding the biological mechanisms of genetic variants for intracranial aneurysms identified and for exploiting genetics for drug discovery. In addition, observational clinical studies are being performed which provide important insights into causality, mechanisms and consequences of genetic findings.

Research line

Genetic riks of stroke

Most recent key publications

1.  Mensing LA, van Tuijl RJ, Greving JP, Velthuis BK, van der Schaaf IC, Wermer MJH, Verbaan D, Vandertop WP, Zuithoff NPA, Rinkel GJE, Ruigrok YM. Aneurysm Prevalence and Quality of Life During Screening in Relatives of Patients With Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Prospective Study. Neurology. 2023 Aug 29;101(9):e904-e912. 

2. Bakker MK, Kanning JP, Abraham G, Martinsen AE, Winsvold BS, Zwart JA, Bourcier R, Sawada T, Koido M, Kamatani Y, Morel S, Amouyel P, Debette S, Bijlenga P, Berrandou T, Ganesh SK, Bouatia-Naji N, Jones G, Bown M, Rinkel GJE, Veldink JH, Ruigrok YM. Genetic risk score for intracranial aneurysms: prediction of subarachnoid hemorrhage and role in clinical heterogeneity. Stroke. 2023;54:810-18.

3. Bakker MK, van Straten T, Chong M, Paré G, Gill D, Ruigrok YM. Anti-epileptic drug target perturbation and intracranial aneurysm risk: Mendelian randomization and colocalization study. Stroke. 2023;54:208-16.

4. Zuurbier CCM, Mensing LA, Wermer MJH, Juvela S, Lindgren AE, Koivisto T, Jääskeläinen JE, Yamazaki T, Molenberg R, van Dijk JMC, Uyttenboogaart M, Aalbers M, Morita A, Tominari S, Arai H, Nozaki K, Murayama Y, Ishibashi T, Takao H, Rinkel GJE, Greving JP, Ruigrok YM. Difference in Rupture Risk Between Familial and Sporadic Intracranial Aneurysms: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. Neurology. 2021 Nov 30;97(22):e2195-e2203.

5. Bakker MK, … , Ruigrok YM. Genome-wide association study of intracranial aneurysms identifies 17 risk loci and genetic overlap with clinical risk factors. Nat Genet. 2020 Dec;52(12):1303-1313. 

Research groups

Genetics of intracranial aneurysms

Research aim

I aim to enhance our understanding of the underlying disease processes of intracranial aneurysms, refine the detection of such aneurysms in high-risk patients, and optimize treatment strategies.
Go to group

Intracranial aneurysms

Research aim

We aim to increase insights in underlying disease processes, improve detection of patients at high risk of developing aneurysms, ameliorate prediction of rupture and treatment risks, and optimize treatment outcomes.
Go to group

Intracranial vasculopathies

Research aim

Our research focusses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of stroke and intracranial vasculopathies, including cerebral small vessel disease and intracranial aneurysms, with the ultimate goal to improve treatment strategies and prognosis.
Go to group

Recent publications

Intra-Aneurysmal High-Resolution 4D MR Flow Imaging for Hemodynamic Imaging Markers in Intracranial Aneurysm Instability R J van Tuijl, C S den Hertog, K M Timmins, B K Velthuis, P van Ooij, J J M Zwanenburg, Y M Ruigrok, I C van der Schaaf
AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology, 2024, vol. 45, p.1678-1684
Drug classes affecting intracranial aneurysm risk Ynte M. Ruigrok, Jan H. Veldink, Mark K. Bakker
European Stroke Journal, 2024, vol. 9, p.687-695
Sex differences in risk factor relationships with subarachnoid haemorrhage and intracranial aneurysms Lena Tschiderer, Mark K. Bakker, Dipender Gill, Stephen Burgess, Peter Willeit, Ynte M. Ruigrok, Sanne Ae Peters
European journal of preventive cardiology, 2024, vol. 31
Graph convolutional networks for automated intracranial artery labeling Iris N Vos, Ynte M Ruigrok, Ishaan R Bhat, Kimberley M Timmins, Birgitta K Velthuis, Hugo J Kuijf
Journal of Medical Imaging, 2024, vol. 11
Association between lower extremity arterial calcification and coronary arterial calcification in a population at increased risk of cardiovascular disease Romain Meer, Anna G. Hoek, Emma J. Bouman, Teddo Doesburg, Petra J.M. Elders, P. A. de Jong, Joline Beulens, M. J. Cramer, H. M. Nathoe, M. G. van der Meer, G. J. de Borst, M. Teraa, M. L. Bots, M. van Smeden, M. H. Emmelot-Vonk, P. A. de Jong, A. T. Lely, N. P. van der Kaaij, L. J. Kappelle, Y. M. Ruigrok, M. C. Verhaar, J. A.N. Dorresteijn, F. L.J. Visseren,
BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care, 2024, vol. 12
Gene-Gene Interaction Between Factor-XI and ABO Genes in Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Gie Ken-Dror, Ida Martinelli, Elvira Grandone, Sini Hiltunen, Erik Lindgren, Maurizio Margaglione, Veronique Le Cam Duchez, Aude B. Triquenot, Marialuisa Zedde, Michelangelo Mancuso, Ynte M. Ruigrok, Bradford B. Worrall, Jennifer J. Majersik, Jukka Putaala, Elena Haapaniemi, Susanna Zuurbier, Matthijs C. Brouwer, Serena M. Passamonti, Maria Abbattista, Paolo Bucciarelli, Robin Lemmens, Emanuela Pappalardo, Paolo Costa, Marina Colombi, Diana Aguiar De Sousa, Sofia G. Rodrigues, Patrícia Canhao, Aleksander Tkach, Rosa Santacroce, Giovanni Favuzzi, Antonio Arauz, Donatella Colaizzo, Konstantinos Spengos, Amanda Hodge, Reina Ditta, Alessandro Pezzini, Jonathan M. Coutinho, Vincent N. Thijs, Katarina Jood, Guillaume Pare, Turgut Tatlisumak, José M. Ferro, Pankaj Sharma
Neurology, 2024, vol. 102

Fellowships & Awards

2022: Heart Foundation for the research project ‘FEMININE: explaining the FEMale preponderance of INtracranNIal aNEurysms’, €700,000

2021: selected for the Dutch Cardiovascular Alliance (DCVA) Leadership Program, which creates a network of talented and dedicated people who are seen as leaders in the future cardiovascular arena

2020: Michele Sale award for Women in Stroke Genetics, an internationally competitive mid-career award of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium (ISGC)

2020: selected for the EUREKA's 12th Annual International Certificate Course, organised by the Eureka Institute for Translational Medicine (eurekainstitute.org)

2019: ERC starting grant from the European Research Council for the research project ‘PRYSM: Early recognition of intracranial aneurysms to PRevent aneurYSMal subarachnoid haemorrhage. €1,500,000

2017: selected for Steyn-Parve advanced talent program, UMCU Utrecht

2014: The Netherlands organization for health research (ZonMW): Clinical Fellowship personal grant (€160.000)

2010: Rudolf Magnus Young Talent Fellowship from the Rudolf Magnus Institute of the UMC Utrecht. €200.000

2009: The Netherlands organization for health research (ZonMW): ‘Veni’ personal grant for excellent researcher (= top 15%; €250.000)

2008: award ‘Amsterdamse Neurologenvereeniging’ (association of neurologists in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) for best thesis in Neurology

2007: Girard de Mielet van Coehoorn Foundation prize for cum laude dissertation (UMC Utrecht)

2007: selected for Steyn-Parve junior talent program, UMC Utrecht

2005: The Netherlands Heart Foundation personal grant to stimulate MDs in research (€125.500)

2000: The Netherlands organization for health research (ZonMW): personal PhD grant (€75.000)

External positions

member of the steering committee - including monthly calls and acive particpation in the biannual workshops - International Stroke Genetics Consortium (ISGC)

member assessment committee for the junior clinical scientist and postdoc Dekker personal grants - asessing personal grants - Dutch Heart Foundation

member medical advisory board Fahr disease - giving medical advice if needed - medical advisory board Fahr disease