HomeArteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular BiologyVol. 38, No. 8ATVB Named Lecture Reviews—Insight Into Author Free AccessNewsPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessNewsPDF/EPUBATVB Named Lecture Reviews—Insight Into Author Originally published25 Jul 2018https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.310970Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2018;38:1689–1690is related to2016 Jeffrey M. Hoeg Award LectureOther version(s) of this articleYou are viewing the most recent version of this article. Previous versions: July 25, 2018: Previous Version of Record ATVB Named Lecture Reviews– 2016 Jeffrey M. Hoeg Award LectureInsight Into the Author: Esther Lutgens, MD, PhD, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Experimental Vascular Biology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, GermanyDownload figureDownload PowerPointWhy did you choose the profession of scientific investigation?Since I was a child, I always wanted to know how things work exactly, and I was never satisfied with the answers that were provided by other people or books. I wanted to investigate things myself. During high school, I was fascinated by biology and chemistry and the human body, and I decided to study Medicine. As a first-year medical student (1995), I got a student-helper job at the laboratory of Prof Mat Daemen where I fell in love with vascular biology and atherosclerosis research.Who have been your role model(s) in your scientific and professional life?I have 3 role models, and mentors: Prof Mat Daemen, who always believed in me and taught me all the ins and outs of science and beyond. He was and is always there for me. I admire Mat because he is always honest and doesn’t make things better than they are. He can be hard in his judgment, but he is mostly right, and I admire his ability to motivate people to get the best out of themselves. Besides being an excellent scientist, Mat has also evolved into one of the key leaders in academic healthcare and research. I still can learn a lot from Mat, especially in people management and academic leadership.Prof Christian Weber, a great friend and mentor, who taught me that good is never good enough, and who still forces me to thrive to perfection and never give up.And last, but not least, Prof Tim Leiner, my husband, with whom I can share everything, and with whom I run my lovely family and enjoy life!What have been important influences on your professional life?For me, having worked at different laboratories within the world has provided me with the most important lessons in my professional career. Every PI has his or her own way of doing science, managing the lab, and mentoring his or her people. Experiencing all these different strategies and ways has helped me a lot to develop my own skills.Moreover, interacting with different scientists all over the world on conferences or in consortia gives me energy and ideas and makes my science better.What are your scientific inspirations?My team of young and talented scientists, fellow PIs, and my scientific network.How have mentors contributed to your professional development?They have always supported me, and I know that they are there for me, whenever I need them. They helped me to make the right decisions, and to stand up for myself. They promoted my work and introduced me to their network. They helped me to be a mentor for my postdocs and students. They give me honest advice and still tell me what I can do better.If you knew then what you know now, would you do anything different?No, I think all the mistakes you make in your (scientific) life need to be made, and make you a stronger and better person.What wisdom do you impart on new investigators?Always work hard and be honest. Never give up. Enjoy science. Be creative!If you were not a scientist, which profession would you pick?I think I would be a pathologist. I started my residency in pathology, but I never finished it.Which direction do you envisage your science taking?Besides the mechanistic studies on what the different immunological mediators do during atherogenesis, I would like to focus more on developing novel drugs and bring them into the clinic.What are your nonscientific activities?Within the Academic Medical Center, I am the vice chair of the laboratory and research division, and I’m chair of a support group who helps PhD students, postdocs, and staff members with their grants. I’m also a member of the ESC working group on atherosclerosis, and I’m chair/committee member national and international grant reviewing boards.When I’m not at work, I love being with my family, hanging out with my husband, Tim, and my children, Willemijn (11) and Jasper (9). I love reading and shopping and talking to and meeting with my best friends.What sports do you follow?Running and yoga to keep fit.What are your favorite books, movies, music?Book: Haruki Murakami, IQ84.Movies: I’m not a fan of movies; I’m too impatient to watch.Music: Ludovico Einaudi. Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articles2016 Jeffrey M. Hoeg Award LectureEllen Rouwet, et al. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2018;38:1678-1688 August 2018Vol 38, Issue 8 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.310970PMID: 30354197 Originally publishedJuly 25, 2018 PDF download Advertisement