Job Verdonschot

Assistant Professor

Dr. Job Verdonschot is a resident at the Clinical Genetics department of the Maastricht UMC+ and an assistant professor at the Cardiology department within CARIM of the Maastricht University.

He finished both a master in biomedical sciences and medicine (cum laude) at the university of Maastricht, with a differentiation in cardiogenetics. In 2016 he received a Kootstra Talent Fellowship to start a PhD investigating the impact of genetic mutations on the clinical course of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. His PhD thesis received three prizes for best thesis of 2021: by the Dutch association of clinical genetics (VKGN), the Durch association of cardiology (NVVC) and the CARIM research school of the university of Maastricht. In 2021 he started his clinical training to become a clinical geneticist in the Maastricht UMC+ with a differentiation in cardiology and cardiogenetics, which he will finish in 2025, continuing his career as clinical geneticist at the department.

In 2022 he received the prestigious Dekker grant (Clinical Scientist) from the Dutch Heart Foundation to start his research group investigating the impact of genetic mutations for asymptomatic family members. In 2023 and 2024 he also received the Academic Funds and a Veni grant of the NWO to further expand his research line focusing on early detection, improving risk stratification and early treatment, and reproductive options for patients and their family members with a genetic form of dilated cardiomyopathy.

He contributes to multiple national and international committees (for example, he is chair of the national Study Group on family care for cardiomyopathy patients of the National Heart Institute, and leads the writing of international consensus documents on family care and reproductive options from the European Society of Cardiology). He has a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaborations to achieve innovation in health care, depicted by collaboration with the Dutch Forensic Institute (NOFA study funded by ZonMW), the technical University of Eindhoven (as part of the Veni project) and hematology (focusing on clonal hematopoiesis as part of his ERA4HEALTH grant). His goal is to translate research innovations to clinical implementation to improve the care for patients and family members with genetic forms of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Department of Cardiology 
Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht
P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht

Room number: 3.K1.031
T: +31 (0) 43 387 10 98

  • 2022
    • Raafs, A. G., Vos, J. L., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Slurink, B. O., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Bossers, D., Roes, K., Gerretsen, S., Knackstedt, C., Hazebroek, M. R., Nijveldt, R., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2022). Left Atrial Strain Has Superior Prognostic Value to Ventricular Function and Delayed-Enhancement in Dilated Cardiomyopathy. JACC-Cardiovascular Imaging, 15(6), 1015-1026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2022.01.016
    • Henkens, M. T. H. M., van Ommen, A. M., Remmelzwaal, S., Valstar, G. B., Wang, P., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Hazebroek, M. R., Hofstra, L., Empel, V. P. M., Beulens, J. W. J., Ruijter, H. M., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2022). The HFA-PEFF score identifies 'early-HFpEF' phenogroups associated with distinct biomarker profiles. Esc heart failure, 9(3), 2032-2036. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13861
    • Ferreira, J. P., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Girerd, N., Bozec, E., Pellicori, P., Collier, T., Mariottoni, B., Cosmi, F., Hazebroek, M., Cuthbert, J., Petutschnigg, J., Heymans, S., Staessen, J. A., Pieske, B., Edelman, F., Clark, A. L., Díez, J., González, A., Rossignol, P., ... Zannad, F. (2022). Influence of ejection fraction on biomarker expression and response to spironolactone in people at risk of heart failure: findings from the HOMAGE trial. European journal of heart failure, 24(5), 771-778. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2455
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Ferreira, J. P., Pizard, A., Pellicori, P., Brunner La Rocca, H.-P., Clark, A. L., Cosmi, F., Cuthbert, J., Girerd, N., Waring, O. J., Henkens, M. H. T. M., Mariottoni, B., Petutschnigg, J., Rossignol, P., Hazebroek, M. R., Cleland, J. G. F., Zannad, F., Heymans, S. R. B., & HOMAGE “Heart Omics in AGEing” consortium (2022). The Effect of Spironolactone in Patients With Obesity at Risk for Heart Failure: Proteomic Insights from the HOMAGE Trial. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 28(5), 778-786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2021.12.005
    • Henkens, M. T. H. M., Weerts, J., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Raafs, A. G., Stroeks, S., Sikking, M. A., Amin, H., Mourmans, S. G. J., Geraeds, C. B. G., Sanders-van Wijk, S., Aizpurua, A. B., Uszko-Lencer, N. H. M. K., Krapels, I. P. C., Wolffs, P. F. G., Brunner, H. G., Leeuwen, R. E. W., Verhesen, W., Schalla, S. M., van Stipdonk, A. W. M., ... Heymans, S. R. B. (2022). Improving diagnosis and risk stratification across the ejection fraction spectrum: the Maastricht Cardiomyopathy registry. Esc heart failure, 9(2), 1463-1470. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13833
    • Raafs, A. G., Boscutti, A., Henkens, M. T. H. M., van den Broek, W. W. A., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Weerts, J., Stolfo, D., Nuzzi, V., Manca, P., Hazebroek, M. R., Knackstedt, C., Merlo, M., Heymans, S. R. B., & Sinagra, G. (2022). Global Longitudinal Strain is Incremental to Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction for the Prediction of Outcome in Optimally Treated Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients. Journal of the American Heart Association, 11(6), Article e024505. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.024505
    • Henkens, M. T. H. M., Raafs, A. G., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Linschoten, M., van Smeden, M., Wang, P., van der Hooft, B. H. M., Tieleman, R., Janssen, M. L. F., Ter Bekke, R. M. A., Hazebroek, M. R., van der Horst, I. C. C., Asselbergs, F. W., Magdelijns, F. J. H., Heymans, S. R. B., & CAPACITY-COVID collaborative consortium (2022). Age is the main determinant of COVID-19 related in-hospital mortality with minimal impact of pre-existing comorbidities, a retrospective cohort study. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1), Article 184. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02673-1
    • Ferreira, J. P., Collier, T., Clark, A. L., Mamas, M. A., Rocca, H.-P. B.-L., Heymans, S., González, A., Ahmed, F. Z., Petutschnigg, J., Mujaj, B., Cuthbert, J., Rouet, P., Pellicori, P., Mariottoni, B., Cosmi, F., Edelmann, F., Thijs, L., Staessen, J. A., Hazebroek, M., ... Zannad, F. (2022). Spironolactone effect on the blood pressure of patients at risk of developing heart failure: an analysis from the HOMAGE trial. European Heart Journal-Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, 8(2), 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcvp/pvab031
    • Ravassa, S., Lopez, B., Ferreira, J. P., Girerd, N., Bozec, E., Pellicori, P., Mariottoni, B., Cosmi, F., Hazebroek, M., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Cuthbert, J., Petutschnigg, J., Moreno, M. U., Heymans, S., Staessen, J. A., Pieske, B., Edelmann, F., Clark, A. L., Cleland, J. G. F., ... HOMAGE Trial Committees and Investigators (2022). Biomarker-based assessment of collagen cross-linking identifies patients at risk of heart failure more likely to benefit from spironolactone effects on left atrial remodelling. Insights from the HOMAGE clinical trial. European journal of heart failure, 24(2), 321-331. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2394
  • 2021
    • Stroeks, S. L. V. M., Hellebrekers, D. M. E. I., Claes, G. R. F., Tayal, U., Krapels, I. P. C., Vanhoutte, E. K., van den Wijngaard, A., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Ware, J. S., Heymans, S. R. B., Brunner, H. G., & Verdonschot, J. A. J. (2021). Clinical impact of re-evaluating genes and variants implicated in dilated cardiomyopathy. Genetics in Medicine, 23(11), 2186-2193. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41436-021-01255-1
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Wang, P., Schummers, G., Raafs, A. G., Krapels, I. P. C., van Empel, V., Heymans, S. R. B., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., & Knackstedt, C. (2021). A global longitudinal strain cut-off value to predict adverse outcomes in individuals with a normal ejection fraction. Esc heart failure, 8(5), 4343-4345. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13465
    • Raafs, A., Verdonschot, J., Ferreira, J. P., Wang, P., Collier, T., Henkens, M., Bjorkman, J., Boccanelli, A., Clark, A. L., Delles, C., Diez, J., Gonzalez, A., Girerd, N., Jukema, J. W., Pinet, F., Rossignol, P., Thum, T., Vodovar, N., de Boer, R. A., ... Heymans, S. (2021). Identification of sex-specific biomarkers predicting new-onset heart failure. Esc heart failure, 8(5), 3512-3520. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13476
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Ferreira, J. P., Pellicori, P., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Clark, A. L., Cosmi, F., Cuthbert, J., Girerd, N., Mariottoni, B., Petutschnigg, J., Rossignol, P., Cleland, J. G. F., Zannad, F., Heymans, S. R. B., & HOMAGE “Heart Omics in AGEing” consortium (2021). Proteomic mechanistic profile of patients with diabetes at risk of developing heart failure: insights from the HOMAGE trial. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 20(1), Article 163. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-021-01357-9
    • Russcher, A., Verdonschot, J., Molenaar-de Backer, M. W. A., Heymans, S. R. B., Kroes, A. C. M., & Zaaijer, H. L. (2021). Parvovirus B19 DNA detectable in hearts of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, but absent or inactive in blood. Esc heart failure, 8(4), 2723-2730. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13341
    • Restrepo-Cordoba, M. A., Wahbi, K., Florian, A. R., Jimenez-Jaimez, J., Politano, L., Arad, M., Climent-Paya, V., Garcia-Alvarez, A., Hansen, R. B., Larranaga-Moreira, J. M., Kubanek, M., Lopes, L. R., Ros, A., Jurcut, R., Rasmussen, T. B., Ruiz-Guerrero, L., Pribe-Wolferts, R., Palomino-Doza, J., Bilinska, Z., ... European Genetic Cardiomyopathies Initiative Investigators (2021). Prevalence and clinical outcomes of dystrophin-associated dilated cardiomyopathy without severe skeletal myopathy. European journal of heart failure, 23(8), 1276-1286. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2250
    • Raafs, A. G., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Adriaans, B. P., Wang, P., Derks, K., Abdul Hamid, M. A., Knackstedt, C., van Empel, V. P. M., Diez, J., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Brunner, H. G., Gonzalez, A., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., Heymans, S. R. B., & Hazebroek, M. R. (2021). The combination of carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I blood levels and late gadolinium enhancement at cardiac magnetic resonance provides additional prognostic information in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy - A multilevel assessment of myocardial fibrosis in dilated cardiomyopathy. European journal of heart failure, 23(6), 933-944. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2201
    • Ferreira, J. P., Verdonschot, J., Wang, P., Pizard, A., Collier, T., Ahmed, F. Z., Brunner-La-Rocca, H. P., Clark, A. L., Cosmi, F., Cuthbert, J., Diez, J., Edelmann, F., Girerd, N., Gonzalez, A., Grojean, S., Hazebroek, M., Khan, J., Latini, R., Mamas, M. A., ... HOMAGE (Heart Omics in AGEing) Consortium (2021). Proteomic and Mechanistic Analysis of Spironolactone in Patients at Risk for HF. JACC: Heart Failure, 9(4), 268-277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchf.2020.11.010
    • Cleland, J. G. F., Ferreira, J. P., Mariottoni, B., Pellicori, P., Cuthbert, J., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Petutschnigg, J., Ahmed, F. Z., Cosmi, F., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Mamas, M. A., Clark, A. L., Edelmann, F., Pieske, B., Khan, J., McDonald, K., Rouet, P., Staessen, J. A., Mujaj, B., ... HOMAGE Trial Committees and Investigators (2021). The effect of spironolactone on cardiovascular function and markers of fibrosis in people at increased risk of developing heart failure: the heart 'OMics' in AGEing (HOMAGE) randomized clinical trial. European Heart Journal, 42(6), 684-696. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa758
    • Hazebroek, M. R., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Raafs, A. G., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Merken, J. J., Dennert, R. M., Eurlings, C., Hamid, M. A. A., Wolffs, P. F. G., Winkens, B., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Knackstedt, C., van Paassen, P., van Empel, V. P. M., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2021). Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in adult patients with idiopathic chronic cardiomyopathy and cardiac parvovirus B19 persistence: a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. European journal of heart failure, 23(2), 302-309. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2082
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Merlo, M., Dominguez, F., Wang, P., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Adriaens, M. E., Hazebroek, M. R., Mase, M., Escobar, L. E., Cobas-Paz, R., Derks, K. W. J., van den Wijngaard, A., Krapels, I. P. C., Brunner, H. G., Sinagra, G., Garcia-Pavia, P., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2021). Phenotypic clustering of dilated cardiomyopathy patients highlights important pathophysiological differences. European Heart Journal, 42(2), 162-174. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa841
  • 2020
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Merken, J. J., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Pliger, P., Derks, K. W. J., Wang, P., Henkens, M. T. H. M., van Paassen, P., Hamid, M. A. A., van Empel, V. P. M., Knackstedt, C., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Brunner, H. G., Poelzl, G., Vernooy, K., Heymans, S. R. B., & Hazebroek, M. R. (2020). Cardiac Inflammation Impedes Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients With Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Circulation-Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 13(11), 1311-1320. Article 008727. https://doi.org/10.1161/circep.120.008727
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Hazebroek, M. R., Krapels, I. P. C., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Raafs, A., Wang, P., Merken, J. J., Claes, G. R. F., Vanhoutte, E. K., van den Wijngaard, A., Heymans, S. R. B., & Brunner, H. G. (2020). Implications of Genetic Testing in Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, 13(5), 476-487. Article 003031. https://doi.org/10.1161/circgen.120.003031
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Derks, K. W. J., Hazebroek, M. R., Wang, P., Robinson, E. L., Adriaens, M. E., Krapels, I. P. C., van den Wijngaard, A., Brunner, H. G., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2020). Distinct Cardiac Transcriptomic Clustering in Titin and Lamin A/C-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients. Circulation, 142(12), 1230-1232. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.119.045118
    • Pellicori, P., Ferreira, J. P., Mariottoni, B., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Ahmed, F. Z., Verdonschot, J., Collier, T., Cuthbert, J. J., Petutschnigg, J., Mujaj, B., Girerd, N., Gonzalez, A., Clark, A. L., Cosmi, F., Staessen, J. A., Heymans, S., Latini, R., Rossignol, P., Zannad, F., & Cleland, J. G. F. (2020). Effects of spironolactone on serum markers of fibrosis in people at high risk of developing heart failure: rationale, design and baseline characteristics of a proof-of-concept, randomised, precision-medicine, prevention trial. The Heart OMics in AGing (HOMAGE) trial. European journal of heart failure, 22(9), 1711-1723. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.1716
    • Henkens, M. T. H. M., Remmelzwaal, S., Robinson, E. L., van Ballegooijen, A. J., Aizpurua, A. B., Verdonschot, J. A. J., Raafs, A. G., Weerts, J., Hazebroek, M. R., Wijk, S. S., Handoko, M. L., den Ruijter, H. M., Lam, C. S. P., de Boer, R. A., Paulus, W. J., van Empel, V. P. M., Vos, R., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Beulens, J. W. J., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2020). Risk of bias in studies investigating novel diagnostic biomarkers for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. A systematic review. European journal of heart failure, 22(9), 1586-1597. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.1944
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Vanhoutte, E. K., Claes, G. R. F., van den Enden, A. T. J. M. H., Hoeijmakers, J. G. J., Hellebrekers, D. M. E. I., Haan, A. D., Christiaans, I., Deprez, R. H. L., Boen, H. M., Craenenbroeck, E. M. V., Loeys, B. L., Hoedemaekers, Y. M., Marcelis, C., Kempers, M., Brusse, E., Waning, J. I., Baas, A. F., Dooijes, D., ... Brunner, H. G. (2020). A mutation update for the FLNC gene in myopathies and cardiomyopathies. Human Mutation, 41(6), 1091-1111. https://doi.org/10.1002/humu.24004
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Wang, P., Van Bilsen, M., Hazebroek, M. R., Merken, J. J., Vanhoutte, E. K., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Van Den Wijngaard, A., Glatz, J. F. C., Krapels, I. P. C., Brunner, H. G., Heymans, S. R. B., & Bierau, J. (2020). Metabolic Profiling Associates with Disease Severity in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 26(3), 212-222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2019.09.004
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Robinson, E. L., James, K. N., Mohamed, M. W., Claes, G. R. F., Casas, K., Vanhoutte, E. K., Hazebroek, M. R., Kringlen, G., Pasierb, M. M., van den Wijngaard, A., Glatz, J. F. C., Heymans, S. R. B., Krapels, I. P. C., Nahas, S., Brunner, H. G., & Szklarczyk, R. (2020). Mutations in PDLIM5 are rare in dilated cardiomyopathy but are emerging as potential disease modifiers. Molecular genetics & genomic medicine, 8(2), Article e1049. https://doi.org/10.1002/mgg3.1049
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Merken, J. J., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Hazebroek, M. R., Eurlings, C. G. M. J., Thijssen, E., Wang, P., Weerts, J., van Empel, V., Schummers, G., Schreckenberg, M., van den Wijngaard, A., Lumens, J., Brunner, H. G., Heymans, S. R. B., Krapels, I. P. C., & Knackstedt, C. (2020). Value of Speckle Tracking-Based Deformation Analysis in Screening Relatives of Patients With Asymptomatic Dilated Cardiomyopathy. JACC-Cardiovascular Imaging, 13(2), 549-558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2019.02.032
  • 2019
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Hazebroek, M. R., Ware, J. S., Prasad, S. K., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2019). Role of Targeted Therapy in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: The Challenging Road Toward a Personalized Approach. Journal of the American Heart Association, 8(11), Article 012514. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.119.012514
    • Ferreira, J. P., Verdonschot, J., Collier, T., Wang, P., Pizard, A., Bar, C., Bjorkman, J., Boccanelli, A., Butler, J., Clark, A., Cleland, J. G., Delles, C., Diez, J., Girerd, N., Gonzalez, A., Hazebroek, M., Huby, A.-C., Jukema, W., Latini, R., ... Zannad, F. (2019). Proteomic Bioprofiles and Mechanistic Pathways of Progression to Heart Failure The HOMAGE Study. Circulation-Heart Failure, 12(5), Article 005897. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.118.005897
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Cooper, L. T., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2019). Parvovirus B19 in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: There Is More Than Meets the Eye. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 25(1), 64-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2018.11.017
  • 2018
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Hazebroek, M. R., Wang, P., Sanders-van Wijk, S., Merken, J. J., Adriaansen, Y. A., van den Wijngaard, A., Krapels, I. P. C., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Brunner, H. G., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2018). Clinical Phenotype and Genotype Associations With Improvement in Left Ventricular Function in Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Circulation-Heart Failure, 11(11), Article 005220. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.118.005220
    • Merken, J., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Weerts, J., Verdonschot, J., Hazebroek, M., Schummers, G., Schreckenberg, M., Lumens, J., Heymans, S., & Knackstedt, C. (2018). Heart Failure With Recovered Ejection Fraction. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 72(13), 1556-1557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.06.070
    • Verdonschot, J. A. J., Hazebroek, M. R., Derks, K. W. J., Aizpurua, A. B., Merken, J. J., Wang, P., Bierau, J., van den Wijngaard, A., Schalla, S. M., Hamid, M. A. A., van Bilsen, M., van Empel, V. P. M., Knackstedt, C., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Brunner, H. G., Krapels, I. P. C., & Heymans, S. R. B. (2018). Titin cardiomyopathy leads to altered mitochondrial energetics, increased fibrosis and long-termlife-threatening arrhythmias. European Heart Journal, 39(10), 864-873. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx808
    • Merken, J., Hazebroek, M., Van Paassen, P., Verdonschot, J., Van Empel, V., Knackstedt, C., Hamid, M. A., Seiler, M., Kolb, J., Hoermann, P., Ensinger, C., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Poelzl, G., & Heymans, S. (2018). Immunosuppressive Therapy Improves Both Short- and Long-Term Prognosis in Patients With Virus-Negative Nonfulminant Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy. Circulation-Heart Failure, 11(2), Article 004228. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.117.004228
  • 2016
    • Verdonschot, J., Hazebroek, M., Merken, J., Debing, Y., Dennert, R., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Heymans, S. (2016). Relevance of cardiac parvovirus B19 in myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy: review of the literature. European journal of heart failure, 18(12), 1430-1441. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.665