About
Introduction
Field(s) of expertise
- Vascular medicine;
- Hypertension;
- Clinical pharmacology;
- Cardio-oncology;
- Cardiovascular pharmacology.
Education and career
I did next to my medical training a research master in molecular medicin, which I finished in 2004. After my graduation as MD in 2006 I did my PhD traject from 2007-2010 which I defended in 2012 cum laude. From 2010-2016 I did my clinical training as internist including two subspecializations: clinical pharmacology and vascular medicine. Directly after, I started as staff member with a research line in hypertension. Currently, I am also building my research line in cardio-oncology (or vascular oncology) focusing on cardiovascular side effects of anticancer treatment such as angiogenesis inhibitor-induced toxicity.
Supervising PhD students
I currently supervise five Phd students:
- Laura Peeters RHYME RCT (see grants); drug adherence in resistant hypertension
- Dimokrat Hassan Deprescribing and optimizing antihypertensive treatment in elderly
- Laura Kalfsvel Education in pharmacotherapy
- Daan van Dorst Angiogenesis inhibitor-induced toxicity
- Roos Sablerolles Role of medication and frailty in COVID.
Finished PhD students
- 2021: Lida Feyz Renal denervation and drug adherence
- 2020: Suzanne Schol-Gelok; Influence of (co-) medication on haemostatic biomarkers
Publications
Publications I am most proud of:
- Peeters LEJ, Feyz L, Boersma E, Daemen J, van Gelder T, Koch BCP, Versmissen J. Clinical applicability of Monitoring Antihypertensive drug levels in blood. Hypertension 2020;76:80-86.
The result of one of my first small grants used to develop a novel method to measure antihypertensive drug levels in a dried blood spot. - Versmissen J, Oosterveer DM, Yazdanpanah M, Defesche JC, Basart DC, Liem AH, Heeringa J, Witteman JC, Lansberg PJ, Kastelein JJ, Sijbrands EJ. Efficacy of statins in familial hypercholesterolaemia: a long term cohort study. BMJ 2008;337:a2423.
First article of my PhD traject; based on my own research idea - Overgaauw N, Alsma J, Brink A, Hameli E, Bahmany S, Peeters LEJ, Schuit SCE, Koch BCP, Versmissen J. Drug non-adherence is a common but often overlooked cause of hypertensive urgency and emergency at the emergency department. J Hypertens 2018;37:1048-1057.
Largest prospective study at the emergency department so far to asses drug adherence using therapeutic drug monitoring - Atiq F, van den Bemt PM, Leebeek FW, Van Gelder T, Versmissen J. A systematic review on the accumulation of prophylactic dosages of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) in patients with renal insufficiency. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;71:921-9.
Clear overview by one of my best master students showing that accumulation depends on molecular size of specific LMWH. My first article as last author. - Mirabito Colafella KM, Neuman RI, Visser W, Danser AHJ, Versmissen J. Aspirin for the prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia: A matter of COX-1 and/or COX-2 inhibition? Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2019 Online ahead of print.
Aspirin is given as prophylactic drug for preeclampsia, but the evidence is scarce. We made a very concise overview of pathways involved, also important for angiogenesis inhibitor-induced toxicitiy since pathogenesis overlaps.
A complete overview of publications can be found on Pubmed.
Teaching activities
Next to research, I am very active in teaching. My most important activities:
- Bachelor lectures on hypertension;
- Master coordinator Internal Medicine and coordinator for the cardiovascalur/pulmonary week;
- Project leader student run clinic for better prescribers;
- In the area of clinical pharmacology: pharmacogenetics, drug safety and polypharmacy in the master and for several other groups such as nurse practitioners, Erasmus University College, registrars internal medicine etcetera;
- “Geneesmiddel van de Week”: small movies with 1-2 key messages on drugs. Example: https://youtu.be/hnAEzovrUbs.
Other positions
2021-now EMA Scientific Advisory Group Cardiovascular
2019-now Educational lead Clinical Pharmacology
2019-now Chair “geneesmiddelencommissie” Erasmus MC
2017-now Board member/secretary Dutch Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmacy (NVKFB)
2019-now Review panel member ZonMw Rational Pharmacotherapy (GGG) open round
2016-2019 Member “Jong CBG” (Medicines Evalution Board)
Scholarships, grants, and awards
Research grants as PI:
2020 50k Erasmus MC Mrace efficiency pilot grant Optimizing hypertension therapy in the elderly: preventing harm and reducing healthcare costs
2019 196k Innovatiefonds Zorgverzekeraars (co-PI/project leader) Aanpak van overbehandeling met bloeddrukverlagers bij ouderen via een elektronische beslisregel
2018 20k Stichting De Merel “Prevention of VEGF inhibitor-induced toxicity by salt restriction”
2017 30k Stichting De Merel “Protecting mother and baby: targeting the endothelin-1 system in complicated pregnancies”
2016 454k ZonMw “Resistant HYpertension: MEasure to ReaCh Targets (RHYME-RCT)”
2014 50k Erasmus MC efficiency pilot grant “Monitoring Adherence to Antihypertensive Drugs by using a Dried Blood Spot.”
2014 20k Nierstichting “Safe thromboprofylaxis in patients with renal insufficiency”
Several research grants as co-applicant
Education:
2018 182k HoKa (Hoger Onderwijs Kwaliteitsagenda; funding for improvement in quality of higher education) Student run clinic for better prescribers
