Prof. Dr. Judith Sluimer works in Maastricht University Medical Center since 2010. Her chair is focussed on cardiovascular pathophysiology, specifically the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and vascular ageing. Judith investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of macrophages and mesenchymal cells in vascular physiology and pathology to cellular stress (hypoxia, autophagy, lipids), and resulting changes in cellular heterogeneity or identity, and intercellular communication. She combines experimental in vivo and in vitro models with single cell sequencing, studies involving human subjects and tissue samples, and non-invasive imaging of vulnerable plaques. In addition to research, teaching and mentoring, she is chair of the Careermanagement committee (“UHD-cie”) of the faculty health medicine and life sciences, member of the board of the Division Blood in the cardiovascular research institute Maastricht (CARIM), and the Dutch Endothelial cell Biology society (DEBS), treasurer of the European Vascular Biology organization (EVBO), and associate editor for Cardiovascular Research.