During my undergraduate studies ‘Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences’ in Leiden, I developed a great interest in immunology and fundamental research, which I further explored during my graduate studies. Throughout my graduate degree, I performed two internships in the field of immunological research in pre-clinical atherosclerosis models, both at the LACDR as at the Brigham and Women’s hospital. These two internships triggered my curiosity for cardiovascular research, encouraging me to continue my academic career as PhD candidate in the Aging and Immunity group of Amanda Foks. Within my PhD trajectory, I investigate the impact of aging on the immune landscape in atherosclerosis by using different preclinical atherosclerosis models and human patient samples. As part of the ERA-CVD ‘B-eatATHERO’ consortium and EIC Pathfinder Challenge ‘B-specific’ consortium, I have a particular focus on aged B cell immunity in the atherosclerotic environment. We recently characterized age-associated alterations in atherosclerotic mice with flow cytometric and scRNA-sequencing analyses and confirmed the presence of age-associated B cells in the blood and plaque of human coronary artery disease patients. In my research I aim to gain fundamental insights in age-associated B cell immunity in atherosclerosis and utilize this knowledge to develop new specific immunotherapies against cardiovascular disease.

Publications