Vascular surgeon Michiel Warlé has been appointed as professor of Translational Vascular Surgery at Radboud university medical center / Radboud University. His research focuses on improving treatment for vascular disease. By tailoring care more precisely to individual patients and applying technological innovations, he aims to prevent patients from undergoing unnecessary invasive and high-risk procedures.
One common vascular condition is peripheral arterial disease, in which arteries in the legs become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow and oxygen supply. Patients may experience cramping or pain while walking, and in severe cases the condition can lead to non-healing wounds.
Personalized treatment
Warlé investigates how treatment for peripheral arterial disease can be further improved. ‘We want to better understand which medication and dosage are most effective for each individual patient’, he explains. ‘This may help us prevent invasive surgery.’ He is currently conducting a national multicenter trial investigating whether personalized anticoagulation therapy is more effective than standard-dose treatment in preventing clot formation in arteries. This research includes examining genetic differences that influence how platelet inhibitors work.
Microrobots
When blood clots block a blood vessel, rapid and effective removal can prevent complications and save lives. Together with the TechMed Centre of the University of Twente, Warlé is researching a promising new treatment: microrobots.
These tiny robots, just a few millimeters in size, move through blood vessels using magnets placed outside the body. Once they reach a clot, they can break it down either by drilling into it or by delivering medication directly to the site. ‘This technique is minimally invasive,’ says Warlé. ‘It enables highly targeted treatment while keeping the risk of side effects as low as possible.’
Career
Warlé studied medicine at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he also earned his PhD. After completing his surgical training, he joined Radboudumc as a vascular surgeon. Over the past ten years, he has conducted research on the use of low insufflation pressure and deep neuromuscular blockade during laparoscopic surgery, with the aim of improving postoperative recovery. The findings from this research are now finding their way into clinical guidelines. With this, he concludes this line of research and will now focus fully on his new chair. His appointment as professor takes effect on 1 June 2026, for a period of five years, and includes the role of Research Group Leader.
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