CARRIER

2020

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most prevalent cardiovascular disease globally and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Although substantial clinical evidence supports the benefits of physical activity, healthy diet, and cessation of nicotine use in preventing CAD, only a minority of individuals engage in rehabilitation programs aimed at CAD prevention.

The Focus
The CARRIER consortium centers its efforts on primary and secondary prevention of CAD through a regional collaboration involving clinicians, health service researchers, legal experts, and data scientists. Their focus is on investigating big data-driven, participative self-care interventions for CAD prevention. Leveraging internet and smartphone-based self-care interventions can extend the reach of these interventions, while data-driven prediction modeling enables targeted and personalized approaches.

The Research
The CARRIER project integrates clinical big data from various sources (hospitals and general practitioners) with socioeconomic big data and artificial intelligence to develop models for CAD prevention interventions delivered through an electronic lifestyle coach (eCoach). A prognostic model helps identify individuals at increased risk for CAD (primary prevention) and those with established CAD (secondary prevention) as the target population. Participants, in collaboration with clinicians, will co-create personalized health management plans supported by the eCoach to promote adherence. Data generated by the eCoach on participants' lifestyles will inform and validate predictive models estimating personalized benefits from lifestyle modifications. This feedback loop will inform clinicians and influence the eCoach's behavior to optimize CAD prevention strategies.

Origin
This project was funded within the Big Data & Health Program. The focus of this public-private research program is the use of big data for the early detection and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The program has been developed by NWO, ZonMw, the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Top Sectors Life Sciences & Health (LSH), ICT and Creative Industry, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and the Netherlands eScience Center. Within this research program, the ambitions of the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and the Netherlands eScience Center were aligned with the ambitions of Commit2Data for the Top Sectors ICT, LSH, and Creative Industry, as described in the 2018-2019 Kennis- en Innovatiecontracts between NWO and the Top Sectors.

Collaborators

Contact person:

prof. dr. ir. A.L.A.J. Dekker (Andre)

andre.dekker@maastro.nl

Principal investigators

Prof. Dr. ir. A.L.A.J. Dekker (Andre)

andre.dekker@maastro.nl

Dr. I. Bermejo Delgado (Inigo)

Inigo.Bermejo@maastro.nl

See all investigators

The best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle for a long time is to teach it young. This certainly applies to those groups where unhealthy behavior is common: lower socioeconomic groups, which are increasingly multi-ethnic.
The Research
In this program we are studying the causes of unhealthy behavior in ongoing cohort studies, and together with the target group (10-14 years) we are looking for new ways to teach healthy behavior (nutrition, physical activity, sitting and sleeping behavior). We develop innovative interventions that at multiple levels (family, school, neighborhood, city) change the child's environment in such a way that healthy behavior is encouraged and unhealthy behavior is discouraged.  We implement and evaluate in Amsterdam, and disseminate results to other cities.
The origin
The Heart Foundation aims for more people to make healthy choices, so that they feel vital and run less risk of developing (again) cardiovascular diseases, which was one of the themes of the reserach agenda. With its prevention programs, ZonMw contributes to the improvement of prevention practice, to health gains and to reducing socioeconomic health disparities.
Results from research show that healthy behavior cannot be taken for granted, and is strongly influenced by people's social and physical environment and socioeconomic status. Proven effective, innovative and accessible methods to enable people to maintain a healthy lifestyle for a long time are lacking. Therefore, the Dutch Heart Foundation and ZonMw have collaborated to form the program "Gezond leven: goed voor het Hart!". LIKE is one of the projects funded from this program.

Learn more

GENIUS II

2018

The GENIUS II (Generating Evidence-Based Pharmaceutical Targets and Drugs for Atherosclerosis) consortium is dedicated to studying atherosclerosis, the primary pathological condition underlying cardiovascular diseases. The consortium aims to translate identified druggable targets for atherosclerosis intervention into clinical applications. Gender specificity is a key consideration in all our studies. Our consortium's talent program is structured to provide young researchers with insights into the opportunities and challenges of cardiovascular drug development.
The Research
GENIUS II research integrates knowledge of dyslipidemia and associated immune responses. Our work is organized into distinct work packages that correspond to the logical steps in drug development. Each selected target from GENIUS I is strategically incorporated into this framework. Our investigations encompass in vitro and in vivo analyses to understand mechanisms, druggability, and effects on atherosclerosis.
In addition to building upon GENIUS I drug targets and leads, we leverage recent innovative advancements to identify new druggable targets within male and female atherosclerotic lesions, as well as in circulating cells. State-of-the-art molecular biology techniques, including single cell sequencing and immunophenotyping, are actively employed to dissect immunometabolic processes within atherosclerotic plaques and patients. These studies will enable us to monitor the presence of drug targets at disease sites, expediting drug design and potentially identifying gender-specific biomarkers to aid disease progression monitoring and diagnosis.
Subsequent studies involve testing the efficacy of small molecules, monoclonal antibodies, and siRNA against pre-selected targets from GENIUS I. We have identified small molecules and monoclonal antibodies for five targets, which will undergo toxicity and proof-of-pharmacology studies to progress towards drug development for cardiovascular patients. We have also identified three drugs affecting primary targets from GENIUS I and are assessing their potential to reduce atherosclerotic parameters in First-In-Human clinical trials.
Origin
This consortium was funded through the Impulse Grant program by the Dutch Heart Foundation. The GENIUS II consortium builds on the most promising targets identified in the GENIUS I consortium, with the goal of advancing these targets towards clinical application.

Learn more

1 2 3 … 22 Volgende »