Prof. dr. P.H.A. (Paulus) Quax

Prof. Dr. P.H.A. Quax is a vascular biologist by training, head of Experimental Vascular Surgery and chair of Cardiovascular Research Theme at the LUMC and chairman of Leiden Vascular Medicine. 

My research interests are the pathophysiological aspects of vascular remodeling in general, ranging from atherosclerosis to angiogenesis, from post-interventional vascular remodeling to basic aspects of vascular and endothelial cell biology. Current research focusses on inflammatory and immune modulation in vascular remodeling, the role of non-coding RNAs in vascular remodeling and most recently the role of the microvascular bed in the regulation of pathological and regenerative processes of cardiovascular remodeling. I have published more than 260 peer reviewed papers, am a member of several grant reviewing boards and editorial boards of cardiovascular journals.

Remodeling of blood vessels may occur during pathological and physiological processes. For instance during the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in coronary artery diseases, but also in blood vessels after bypass surgery or balloon angioplasty. On the other hand new blood vessels can be formed during wound healing or as collateral arteries to naturally bypass occluded blood vessels. Over the past decades Prof Quax has studied the mechanisms that regulate these vascular remodeling processes. Special attention has been given to the role of proteases in vascular remodeling which evolved in more general aspects. Currently the focus is inflammatory and immune modulation in vascular remodeling leading to bypass graft failure, restenosis and vascular access failure. Next to that collateral artery formation and neovascularization in peripheral arterial diseases is a key focus point.