Saskia de Jager

Saskia de Jager is an Associate Professor at the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), affiliated with the Department of Cardiology and strategic programs in Circulatory Health and Infection & Immunity. Her research focuses on improving transplantation outcomes and developing novel therapies for heart failure.

• Research Groups: Transplantation Immunology, Molecular Science & Therapy in Heart Failure

Research Interests include:

• Understanding immune mechanisms in organ rejection
• Developing regenerative strategies for myocardial repair
• Optimizing ex vivo organ preservation protocols
• Investigating extracellular vesicle signaling in cardiac cells
• Preventing complications in high-risk transplant scenarios
• Translational studies for heart failure therapies

Publications highlight advancements in:

• Lung transplant graft dysfunction analysis
• Cardiac microtissue engraftment in myocardial infarction
• Extracellular vesicle modulation by hypoxia and TNF-alpha
• Normothermic perfusion protocols for marginal donor hearts
• Endomyocardial biopsy efficacy in heart transplant monitoring