“High Risk” denotes research in patients that are at a particularly high risk for developing a first clinical or subsequent cardiovascular event. Many patients in the focus areas of the program have such elevated risk (in particular patients with hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis), and require optimal selection of primary or secondary preventive interventions. They are subject of targeted research.

Certain groups stand out with regard to identifiable risk factors and are at particular interest for the research program. The patient groups hypertension, type 2 diabetes and patients with female-specific risk factors cover an area of closely related risk factors and diseases leading to increased cardiovascular risk. The main group hypertension has a specific focus on complicated hypertension. Diabetes has a specific focus on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The group of patients with female-specific risk factors has a focus on HELLP, gestational diabetes, PCOS and POF. For etiologic, diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic research regarding the relations between hypertension/diabetes mellitus/female-specific risk factors and vascular disease, three cross-connections can be identified: insulin resistance (obesity, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, HIV), sympathetic activity (new interventions, chronic kidney disease) and vascular stiffness/media calcification (vascular imaging, vascular ageing, pseudoxanthoma elasticum). These cross-links between hypertension and diabetes mellitus work synergistically and create a unique and integrated translational research network with a strong focus on patient outcomes and novel therapies.

Research objectives:

• Becoming a leading center in clinical research in blood pressure-lowering therapy with devices (renal denervation, barostenting, barostimulation).
• Strengthening clinical research in the field of diabetes and vascular disease.
• Strengthening position in the chronic kidney disease - chronic kidney insufficiency, blood pressure and preeclampsia & developmental plasticity field; in collaboration with Obstetrics. 
• Establishing a leading role in pre-clinical research understanding mechanisms of cardiovascular disease in the female sex.
• Strengthening position as a leading center in research on the cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) field. Development of new metabolic models of CRS with HFpEF.

Principal Investigators A-M

prof. dr. M.N. (Mireille) Bekker MD

Full Professor

prof. dr. M.L. (Michiel) Bots

Full Professor

dr. J.A.N. (Jannick) Dorresteijn

Associate Professor - medical

prof. dr. M.H. Emmelot-Vonk

Full Professor

dr. K.G.F. Gerritsen

Associate Professor - medical

prof. dr. D.E. (Rick) Grobbee

Full Professor

prof. dr. W.A. (Wilton) van Klei

Full Professor

dr. K. (Kerstin) Klipstein-Grobusch

Associate Professor

prof. dr. A.T. (Titia) Lely

Full Professor

Principal Investigators N-Z

prof. dr. ir. H.M. (Hester) den Ruijter

Full Professor

prof. dr. ir. Y.T. (Yvonne) van der Schouw

Full Professor

dr. T.T. (Thomas) van Sloten

Assistant Professor - medical

dr. W. (Wilko) Spiering

Associate Professor - medical

dr. C.H. (Ilonca) Vaartjes

Associate Professor

prof. dr. M.C. (Marianne) Verhaar

Full Professor

prof. dr. R.C.H. (Roel) Vermeulen

Full Professor

dr. W.M.M. (Monique) Verschuren

Full Professor

prof. dr. F.L.J. Visseren

Full Professor

prof. dr. D.L.M. Zwart MD

Full Professor