Register for the EIC Cardiogenomics Tech-to-Market event in March
EIC Cardiogenomics Tech-to-Market event | March 16, 2026 - Leiden
On behalf of the EIC Pathfinder consortium B-specific, Amanda Foks (Div. of BioTherapeutics) obtained a Booster grant (50.000 euro) for the organization of a Cardiogenomics Tech-to-market event, which will take place on March 16 in Leiden and will be organized together with Bram Slütter, Ilze Bot from B-specific and with Gerard Pasterkamp from MIRACLE (UMC Utrecht).
Final Program
11:45 – 12:30 Walk-in and registration, lunch (Foyer) – Opening Host
12:30 – 12:35 Welcome
12:35 – 14:00 Entrepreneurship in the Cardiovascular arena
• Orsolya Symmons (EIC program manager Health and Biotechnology): The funding landscape for tech transfer in the EU
• Falk Ehman (European Medicines Agency): How EMA can accelerate your innovation
• Rianne Ellenbroek (BioGeneration Ventures): Investing in Life Sciences companies, the Venture Capital perspective
• Marc van Moorsel (TargED Biopharmaceuticals Inc.): TargED Biopharmaceuticals: from academic research to VC-backed biotech company
• Eva van Rooij (Phlox Therapeutics): Developing gene therapies for cardiomyopathy
14:00 – 14:45 Innovations in the Cardiogenomics field
• Stephanie Bezzina Wettinger (University of Malta): TargetMI: A Multi-Omics Approach for Novel Drug Targets, Biomarkers and Risk Algorithms for Myocardial Infarction
• Amanda Foks (LACDR, Leiden University) & Anja Feldmann (HZDR): B-specific: Adapter CAR T-cells targeting pathogenic B cells for CVD therapy
• Julien Barc (l’institut du thorax, INSERM): NaV1.5-CARED: Viral & Non-Viral therapeutics strategies to restore NaV1.5 function
• Gerard Pasterkamp (UMC Utrecht): MIRACLE: Translating human -omics data into drug efficacy prediction models
• Connie Bezzina (Amsterdam UMC): DCM-NEXT: Large-scale genomic studies for improved risk prediction and target identification in DCM
• Carola Carlini & Milena Bellin (University of Padova): IMPACT: hiPSC allelic series to reclassify variants of uncertain significance
• Kai Fenzl (EMBL Heidelberg): CARDIOREPAIR: High-throughput multimodal phenotyping maps the landscape of RBM20 variant effects in DCM
14:45 – 15:25 Coffee and tea break
15:25 – 16:00 Pitches future entrepreneurs
1. Nazma Ilahibaks, JAMA Therapeutics; Nanoparticle platform for cardiac gene delivery
2. Di Wu, Maastricht University, A microRNA-based strategy to prevent arteriovenous fistula/graft failure
3. Nick Geukens, KU Leuven/Hemastatx, A first-in-class ADAMTS13 antibody therapy targeting severe bleeding in patients with von Willebrand factor (VWF) disorders
4. Gerard Boink, Amsterdam UMC; PacingCure, biological pacemakers and gene therapy for ACM
5. Kaylin Palm, AtheroScreen Inc; Modelling drug effects across atherosclerotic lesions.
6. Zhifen Chen, Technical University Munich; A multilayered artery derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells for pre-clinical testing
7. Kelly Grijsbach, Viduet Health; Innovative digital monitoring tools
8. Astrid Verkaik, FutureMedics; The 3-Minute VO2max Revolution.
9. Rob Krams, CureLogic; AI assisted Personalized Medicine
10. Maria Malagkoniari, University of Athens; SmartHEALTH European Digital Innovation Hub
11. Tim Sakkers, UMC Utrecht; ReveltaDx, Improving heart disease detection in women
16:00 – 17:00 Interactive panel discussion chaired by Gerard Pasterkamp
Panel members: Marco de Boer (BioTech Booster), Falk Ehman (head of Innovation and Development Accelerator at EMA), Marc van Moorsel (TargED Biopharmaceuticals Inc.), Rianne Ellenbroek (BioGeneration Ventures), Orsolya Symmons (EIC program manager Health and Biotechnology)
17:00 – 17:05 Closure
17:05 – 19:00 Networking with drinks and foodstands
Webinar for Harteraad/Dutch Heart Foundation
InnovationActa
On Monday the 8th of December 2025, Amanda and Ilze gave an informative lecture for patients and relatives in the Harteraad Webinar series. The webinar was entitled Onderzoek naar slagaderverkalking; zijn hart- en herseninfarcten te voorkomen door ontstekingsremmende medicatie?. Ilze first explained how patients samples can be used for scientific research, followed by a lecture where Amanda discussed the role of B cells and ABCs in atherosclerosis.
Established Investigator grant for Amanda Foks
InnovationActa
Amanda Foks (Div. of BioTherapeutics) has been awarded over 920.000 euro from the Dutch Heart Foundation to advance her research on age-associated B cell immunity in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the coming 5 years. The Established Investigator grant will allow her to investigate the mechanism-of-action of age-associated B cells in atherosclerosis and to modulate these B cells to combat atherosclerosis.
Link to Hartstichting article: Hartstichting Dekkerbeurzen: 3,6 miljoen euro voor onderzoek | Hartstichting
Link to Leiden University article: Over €900,000 awarded for new treatment against atherosclerosis – Leiden University
Tuesday Talk with Ilze Bot in Leiden
InnovationActa
Breaking the Cycle of Hearth Attacks
Why do heart attacks and strokes remain a threat – even in patients receiving treatment? These life-threatening events are often caused by unstable plaques in the bood vessels, which can suddenly rapture. while cholesterol-lowering medication reduces the risk, it’s not always enough. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the immune system may hold the key to understanding – and preventing – these dangerous complications.
At the Tuesday Talk, Professor Ilze Bot has explored how certain immune cells play a role in atherosclerosis, and what new treatment strategies might help to reduce the risk of sudden cardiovascular events.
Second Annual Meeting in Sweden
ULEI hosted our 2nd Annual Meeting at the Grand Hotel Lund, Sweden, between the 9th and 10th of October 2025.
The meeting was a valuable opportunity for in-person discussions, sharing results, and planning future activities. An important part of the event was the roundtable discussion to assess results, upcoming tasks, risks, and mitigation strategies in R&D work packages.
Additionally, the ULEI team updated on the activities in the Cardiogenomics Portfolio, including the upcoming EIC Portfolio event on March 16-17, 2026, focused on networking and a Tech-to-Market event in Leiden organized by ULEI, and INN-ACTA shared information about the outreach to patient organisations. Importantly, the coordinator presented the management and coordination activities and provided details for the upcoming reporting period and review meeting.
The meeting strengthened our connections and commitment within the consortium to further knowledge and identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for atherosclerosis.
Thank you to all partners for dedication and contributions, and a special thanks to the organizer for facilitating the meeting and welcoming us to Lund.
Jill wins Best Presentation Award at the DuSRA Annual Meeting
InnovationActa
During the two-day annual meeting of the Dutch Society for Aging Research (DuSRA) in Amsterdam, Jill was honored with the Best Presentation Award. She presented her recent work on mTOR inhibition in aging and atherosclerosis, showing how rapamycin may reduce (B cell) inflammation and promote healthier aging.
B cell research presented at the Gordon Research Conference on Atherosclerosis
InnovationActa
In June 2025, Bram, Amanda and Jill attended the Gordon Research Conference on Atherosclerosis in Castelldefels, Spain. During this international meeting, leading scientists and clinicians shared and discussed the latest developments in atherosclerosis research. Bram, Amanda, and Jill all presented posters showcasing their work, with Jill and Amanda highlighting our research on age-associated B cells (ABCs) in atherosclerosis. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow researchers and discuss cutting-edge approaches in the field.
Award for Anna Witteveen at the DCVA-NLHI
InnovationActa
Official opening of the MabMine antibody discovery platform at KUL
InnovationActa
On the 27th of May was the official opening of the novel MabMine antibody discovery platform at Campus Gasthuisberg in Leuven with the participation of about 60 invited academic and industrial collaborators.
The new facility is dedicated to advancing the MabMine antibody discovery platform and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for:
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Single B cell screening and isolation;
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B cell receptor (BCR) sequencing;
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Recombinant antibody production
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Antibody characterization.
New Lab Supported by Vlaamse Veerkracht/ NextGenerationEU Grant — PharmAbs
B-specific projects were also highlighted at the event!
