Over 200 ACS researchers gathered yesterday to attend the 9th Annual ACS symposium. The event was held in Felix Meritis, a beautiful old building in the center of Amsterdam and a national monument. ACS members from all disciplines were given the opportunity to exchange their latest research in the field of cardiovascular research.

Young ACS arranged a diverse program with keynote speakers and posters and talks by our own ACS members. The keynote talks were held by prof. Norbert Hübner (Max Delbrück Center, Berlin) about microproteins in the human heart, and prof. Peter Libby (Harvard Medical School, United States) about clonal hematopoiesis in atherosclerosis. Based on the submitted abstracts, 8 ACS researchers were selected for an oral talk to present their projects to the ACS community. Additionally, 10 ACS researchers held a poster pitch: 3 minutes to convince the audience to come visit their poster in the poster sessions. During the valorisation session, prof. Dave Koolbergen and Philip Croon held a pitch about each of their companies through which they practice valorisation, Haermonics and DGTL Health.

Between sessions there was the opportunity to network, socialize and enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea. Importantly, all participants could enjoy a good lunch with soup and healthy sandwiches. The final keynote about science communication was held by science communication advisor of the Dutch Heart Foundation, dr. Richard van Duin. At the end of the event, the new ACS directors, dr. Ronak Delewi and prof. Menno de Winther, were introduced by the outgoing directors, prof. Jolanda van der Velden and prof. Arthur de Wilde.

We are already looking forward to the event next year!

Awards

Five prizes were awarded during the 9th Annual ACS Symposium

Best publication

Jessie van Wezenbeek, Joanne A. Groeneveldt, Aida Llucià-Valldeperas,... Anton Vonk Noordegraaf, Marie José Goumans, Frances S. de Man,
Interplay of sex hormones and long-term right ventricular adaptation in a Dutch PAH-cohort. The Journal of Lung and Heart Transplantation. Read the article here

Best presentation

Charlotte Teunis: Tryptophan Metabolites and Incident Cardiovascular Disease

Eva Aalbregt: Four Dimensional Flow MRI-derived Hemodynamics in Abdominal
Aortic Aneurysms: Reproducibility and Associations with Diameter,
Intraluminal Thrombus Volume and Vorticity

Best pitch

Anoek Rooijakkers: Long-range gene editing of LMNA

Beau Neep: Understanding the role of SOX17 in the shear stress response of the arterial endothelium and its implication in early Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension development