Basic research in cardiovascular disease : from stem cells to immunomodulation

Abstract

This thesis addresses basic questions on cellular based and non-cellular (molecular) based therapeutic angiogenesis and provides valuable information on the resident vascular stem cell niche. As the world population ages, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and its morbidity and mortality are expected to rise. Traditional treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as minimizing risk factors (e.g. smoking cessation), exercise in case of PAD to promote collateral blood flow, pharmaceutical vasodilatation, and surgical revascularization, clearly does not suffice. Therefore, basic cardiovascular research from stem cells to immunomodulation is of utmost importance, eventually leading to further mechanistic insights and a broader range of therapeutic options for patients with cardiovascular disease.