Prof. dr. Ilze Bot is Professor of Cardiovascular Pharmacology at the Division of BioTherapeutics at the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR, Leiden University). Her research programme is focused on the elucidation of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie atherosclerotic plaque destabilization, thereby identifying novel drug targets and candidates. She is an Established Investigator of the Dutch Heart Foundation.

More information about Ilze Bot

Ilze Bot obtained her PhD on “Modulation of Atherothrombotic Factors: Novel Strategies for Plaque Stabilization” under supervision of Prof. Dr. E.A.L. Biessen and Prof. Dr. Th. J.C. van Berkel in 2005. In March 2008 she started working as a Post-doctoral researcher on mast cells and atherosclerosis (VENI grant “Cardiovascular Diseases: A Central Role for Mast Cells?”) at the division of Biopharmaceutics of the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research. Since then, she expanded her research line on mast cells in cardiovascular diseases by obtaining two research grants from the Dutch Heart Foundation to investigate the contribution of the mast cell to stress-induced acute cardiovascular syndromes, and effects of mast cell activation in vein graft disease. In 2012, she was awarded a Dr. E. Dekker senior Postdoc grant from the Dutch Heart Foundation to determine how mast cells can be activated during hypercholesterolemia. In December 2019, Ilze received the Established Investigator grant from the Dutch Heart Foundation for her project "Mast cells as effectors in advanced atherosclerosis". She focusses her research on mast cell recruitment and activation pathways and on the characterization of mast cells phenotypes in atherosclerosis. In addition, she coordinates the ERA4Health CARDINNOV program “MASTer”, in which she investigates the contribution of mast cells to intraplaque hemorrhage, a hallmark of unstable atherosclerosis. She has published her research in high impact journal such as Circulation, Circulation Research, Nature Cardiovascular Research and Annals of Surgery, and frequently invited to give lectures at international conferences.

As of March 1^st 2024, Ilze is appointed as full professor in Cardiovascular Pharmacology at Leiden University. She will continue her work elucidating the underlying mechanisms of atherosclerotic plaque destabilization at the division of BioTherapeutics of the Leiden  Academic Centre for Drug Research.

Project: Mast cells in cardiovascular diseases

Pathology studies have shown that the mast cell, a potent immune effector cell type mainly recognized for its role in allergy and asthma, accumulates in the atherosclerotic plaque during atherosclerotic plaque progression. Previously, we have demonstrated that perivascular mast cells contribute to atherosclerotic plaque progression and destabilization and recent data show that intraplaque mast cell numbers are of predictive value for future cardiovascular events in patients. In this research line, we aim to determine how mast cells contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis and how these cells are activated during the disease process. Using these mechanistic insights, we aim to establish how we can prevent atherosclerotic plaque destabilization by targeting the mast cell.

Publications

Activities