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About Willeke Daamen
My research focuses on matrix therapy in regenerative medicine, concentrating on cell-free biodegradable biomaterials that stimulate the endogenous healing process of soft tissues and organs by their interaction with cells. The main objective is to engineer defined cellular micro-environments with specific biomolecular composition, 3D architecture and biomechanical properties that attract cells and, after cellular infiltration, stimulate cell differentiation to regenerate the affected tissues/organs. Clinical focus is on regeneration of soft tissues, including skeletal muscle, skin and hollow/tubular organs (e.g. urethra). To enable a rapid implementation into the clinic, the focus lies on acellular biomaterials to circumvent the demanding step of isolation and culturing of (patient) cells. My research has clearly contributed to the concept that the extracellular matrix directs organ formation. Additionally, my group has developed technologies to evaluate tissue-inducing scaffolds, including the specific detection of newly synthesized collagen and application of gene expression analysis in regenerative medicine, which are key for making proper choices for (pre-)clinical development.
Position(s)
- assistant professor (Primary)
Social media
Research position
- associate professor
Research group Matrix biochemistry
Willeke Daamen's research group on the extracellular matrix under physiological and pathological conditions. The extracellular matrix is studied to rationally design and implement acellular biodegradable biomaterials that promote the patient’s own regenerative capacity.
read morePersonal links
- Marie Curie ITN SkinTERM Daamen and Van Kuppevelt
- Plugging the gap: ZonMw/Health Holland grant
- FET open grant Van Kuppevelt and Daamen
- NWO grant for a tissue generating patch to close diaphragmatic defects
- Rotary donates € 52,000 for CDH research
- Strategies for muscle fibrosis
- 10th European Elastin Meeting 2018
- Best paper award 2017
- Extracellular matrix targeting of chemotherapeutic drugs
- Willeke Daamen joins NBTE board
- Sequencing of polyaccharides
- Fundraiser for diaphragmatic patch
- Systematic review in European Urology
- RIHS and RIMLS researchers involved in new european reference network
- Highly cited article for Willeke Daamen and Toin van Kuppevelt
- Willeke Daamen elected secretary of NBTE
- Charity event for children with a diaphragmatic defect
Department Medical BioSciences
This department focuses on basic and translational research in the medical biosciences, from molecules to humans, to better understand disease and health and improve diagnostics and treatment.
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