prof. dr. Niels Riksen

Over Niels Riksen

In 2002 Riksen graduated cum laude for his medical study. In 2007 he obtained his PhD degree (cum laude) on the cardiovascular effects of adenosine at the department of Pharmacology-Toxicology from the Radboud university in Nijmegen and moved to London in 2007 and 2008 as a postdoc at the Hatter Cardiovascular Institute at University College London. In 2010 he finished his residency internal medicine and started as internist and specialist in vascular medicine at the department of Internal Medicine at the Radboud university medical center. In 2012 Riksen became head of the division of Vascular Medicine and full professor of Vascular Medicine in 2014. His research is focused on immune cell reprogramming in the development of atherosclerosis, with a strong focus on translational research.

In addition, he has served as Chair of the Dutch Society for Vascular Medicine (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Internisten Vasculaire Geneeskunde), is Associate Editor of Atherosclerosis and Frontiers of Cardiovascular Medicine and from 2015-2017 he was member of the Committee on Medicalisation of the Dutch Health Council. In 2019 and 2020 he was acting head of the Department of Internal Medicine.

Opleiding

• 1996-2002 Medical Studies (Radboud university, Nijmegen), cum laude
• 2002-2010 Registrar Internal Medicine and Vascular Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen
• 2007 PhD (with honours, cum laude), Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Radboud University, Nijmegen
• Titel PhD: Adenosine in health in disease; a human in vivo study on genetic, metabolic, and pharmacological determinants of the cardiovascular effects of adenosine
• 2007-2008 Postdoc (Hatter Cardiovascular Institute, University College London, Verenigd Koninkrijk)
• 2009-2010 Fellow Vascular Medicine (Radboudumc)

Onder­scheidingen

• 2008: Vascular Medicine Award van de Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vasculaire Geneeskunde en MSD (NVVG-MSD)
• 2008: Award voor beste Ph.D. proefschrift van de Nederlandse Vereniging voor Klinische Farmacologie en Biofarmacie (NVKF & B)
• 2008: Einthoven Award 2008 ("Einthoven Dissertatieprijs") voor beste Ph.D. proefschrift van de Nederlandse Hartstichting en het Interuniversitair Cardiologisch Instituut van Nederland (ICIN)
• 2006 Excellence3 Award van de Nederlandse Stichting voor Cardiovasculaire Excellence vanwege klinische, wetenschappelijke en presenterende uitmuntendheid (€ 30.000)