Identification and validation of sex-specific targets to treat pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients

I received my Ph.D. from the Amsterdam UMC (location AMC) and was trained in pharmacology and molecular cell biology. My research is focused on the molecular basis of vascular remodeling in the lung and the right ventricle dysfunction in the heart in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Over the past several years, My lab has substantially contributed to the understanding of molecular mechanisms driving pulmonary vascular remodeling and identified and validated several druggable targets that inhibit endothelial dysfunction in vitro and in vivo. Recently, two of the identified compounds showed beneficial effects in PAH patients in proof-of-concept clinical trials. PAH is strongly associated with high female preponderance (4-9:1), and my team is investigating the molecular mechanisms in female predominance with a focus on sex hormones, sex chromosomes, and key signaling pathways such as ER/BMPR2 using an interdisciplinary approach. This research may potentially elucidate the mechanisms underlying high female predominance and identify sex-specific therapies for PAH patients.

In addition, our lab focuses on the underlying mechanisms in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), another form of PH. Recently, we have identified several key proteins which might regulate endothelial cell dysfunction and coagulation in CTEPH patients. This research may ultimately lead to novel treatments for CTEPH patients.

Pulmonary hypertension, Endothelial biology, Vascular biology, Thrombosis, Drug design, Molecular docking