1. From plaque instabilty towards thrombus instability. Clinicopathological correlations, mainly features of plaque inflammation) of patients with various ischemic coronary syndromes were investigated, prior to treatment (de novo plaques) or after coronary intervention (restenosis plaques, stented arteries) which is longlasting and succesful collaboration with AMC department of Cardiology (Prof RJ de Winter). Present focus is on coronary thrombectomy specimens which have been histologically graded with opportunities for combined pathological and epidemiological work. Results gave new insights in thrombus organization and propagation after plaque rupture / erosion.; research focus has shifted from plaque towards the coronary trombus, with focus on neutrophils and their secretory proteins, Apoptosis and Netosis in thrombus and interaction with coagulation and plaque inflammation and processes of tissue repair (angiogenesis and fibrogenesis). Large tissue bank of >2500 thrombectomy samples and coronary arteries obtained at autopsy are instrumental for these studies 2. Coronary Allograft Vasculopathy (CAV) is studied together with pathologists of University of Padua (Prof Angelini):
various mechanisms of vascular rejection and their implications for lesional angiogensis, hemorrhage and thrombosis. 3. Angiomas and vascular Malformations. Mechanisms of angiogenesis and vessel maturation have been studied in a large cohort of patients with archived materials (>250, representing unique series of vascular anomlies) by in situ investigations on growth factors for vascular wall cells, expression of cell cycle specific proteins, and association with clinical parameters and follow up; This resulted in PhD thesis of Dr Meijer-Jorna. We will further evaluate implications of these novel findings for the current classifications of vascular anomalies, and investigate angiogenesis as possible target for therapies in symptomatic vascular malformations. 4. Pathology collaboration and support of clinical research groups in AMC and UMC Utrecht and of Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology (AECVP): on diversity of topics in cardiovascular pathology