Specialization
Gastroenterologist with special ineterest in Hepatology
Focus of research
Cirrhosis
Portal hypertension
Hepatic Encephalopathy
I am a hepatologist with a special interest in complications of liver cirrhosis and portal hyprtesnion.
I supervise research on portal hypertension and hepatic encephalopathy. In the context of portal hypertension, I am PI of an international multicenter study on the prevention of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) after transjugular portosysthemic shunt (TIPS) placement (PEARL-trial).
In addition, I supervise a PhD student who performs research on the role of small intestinal enterocytes in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. We build an enterocyte organoid model to study the effect of rifaximin (which is a non absorbable antibiotic for the treatment for HE) on the enterocytes. These data are recently published.
Furthermore we studied the clinical outcome of patients with liver cirrhosis in the greater Amsterdam region (Amsterdam UMC and OLVG), which showed to be better than reported in literature. My PhD student performs further studies on this cohort.
I am currently the principal investigator of three studies that are still in the development phase. The first study is a non-inferiority study that will investigate whether it is possible to discontinue non-selective beta blockers (NSBB) when patients who were previously decompensated return to a compensated phase after removing the stimulus (ZonMw).
In the second study, we will investigate whether direct portal vein pressure measurements can select patients who actually benefit from treatments with NSBB (TKI).
In addition, we will replicate the in vitro studies of the effects of rifaximin on small intestinal cells/organoids in vivo by treating patients with rifaximin.
Patients can apply during 2023.
I am the treasurer of the Netherlands Association for the Study of the Liver (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Hepatologie) and I was the president of the Dutch Liver Week for 4 years. Furthermore, I am the representative of the Dutch Society of Gastroenterologists in the National Prevention Programm on the prevention of alcohol related complications.