Carlijn VC Bouten

Prof. Carlijn V.C. Bouten is Full Professor of Cell-Matrix Interactions in Cardiovascular Regeneration at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), where she heads the Soft Tissue Engineering & Mechanobiology research group in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She leads a team of ~40 researchers focusing on cardiovascular tissue regeneration through interdisciplinary approaches.

Her research investigates mechanobiological interactions between cells and extracellular environments during tissue growth/regeneration, using multi-scale living model systems. Key innovations include biodegradable heart valve prostheses, hybrid implantable organs, and remote cardiac tissue engineering concepts. She collaborates with material scientists, clinicians, and medtech companies.

Education includes an MSc in Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1991) and PhD (TU/e, 1995), with postdoctoral training at Université Laval and University of London.

Her 300+ publications focus on:

• Cardiovascular tissue engineering
• Cell-matrix mechanobiology
• In vitro tissue models
• Biodegradable implants
• Hybrid organ development

Major scientific honors:

• ERC Advanced Grant (2022)
• VICI Grant (2003)
• Aspasia Career Development Award
• Coordinator of €18.8M Gravitation Programme
• Elected member of KNAW and AcademiaNet

She leads multiple consortia including RegMed-XB's Cardiac Moonshot and international programs like FET-OPEN 'Hybrid Heart'. Heads TU/e's Soft Tissue Engineering & Mechanobiology lab developing advanced biomaterials and tissue models.