With an ERC Advanced Grant, Professor Willem Mulder is launching a research project focused on a key underlying cause of cardiovascular disease: the accelerated ageing of the immune system.
Willem Mulder, Professor of Precision Medicine at both Radboud university medical center and Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant of 2.5 million euros for the project DEFLAME (Delineating and Eradicating cardiovascular inFLAMmagEing). Through this bioengineering project, he aims to gain a better understanding of, and ultimately counteract, the role of immune ageing in cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease accelerates the ageing of the immune system, particularly in the bone marrow. In DEFLAME, Mulder and his team will develop a novel strategy to address this process at its source. The project uses specialized nanoparticles to deliver messenger RNA (mRNA) directly to the bone marrow. This approach is designed to stimulate the local production of proteins capable of rejuvenating stem cells. In addition, the team will use a technology called MarrowMap to identify and map the specific locations within the bone marrow involved in immune ageing.
By combining advanced imaging techniques with targeted mRNA therapy, DEFLAME aims to pave the way for new precision immunotherapies for cardiovascular disease. Ultimately, the researchers hope to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure while promoting healthier ageing.
For Mulder, this is the second ERC Advanced Grant of his career. The award creates new opportunities for international collaboration, further clinical translation of the technology, and future innovations in nanomedicine. Moreover, the knowledge generated within DEFLAME may also prove relevant for other inflammation-related diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
About the ERC Advanced Grants
A total of 319 established, leading researchers have been awarded ERC Advanced Grants, including 22 in the Netherlands. Altogether, €838 million has been allocated. These grants, worth an average of €2.5 million, support experienced researchers over five years in establishing projects, building teams, and developing their most promising ideas.
Founded by the European Union in 2007, the ERC is Europe's premier funding organization for frontier research. It supports creative researchers of all nationalities and ages in carrying out projects across Europe. The ERC offers four main funding schemes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants.
