Main goal of the research in the "Vascular Biology and Intervention" programme is to enhance the link between clinical and preclinical research in atherosclerosis and restenosis by means of an integrated approach of vascular cardiology/biology by collaborative clinical and preclinical research lines. To this purpose, the collaboration in the working group Leiden Vascular Medicine (LVM) and Centre for Medical Systems Biology (CMSB) is very successful.

An important focus in this programme is on noninvasive imaging of coronary artery disease, aiming at integration of intravascular echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and multislice computed tomography (CT). Important in this programme is the future routing of patients with low, intermediate, high and very high risk of cardiovascular complications. This research is performed together with the Department of Radiology.

The MISSION! programmes are aimed to optimize of care for patients according to recent guidelines. The first of these MISSION! programmes is devoted to patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction. This guideline implementation programme includes pre-hospital, in-hospital and post-clinical phases, involving all different health care providers in the Leiden area. More recent MISSION! programmes involve patients with congestive heart failure, patients with atrial fibrillation, patients with syncope, and patients with Marfan syndrome.  

In translational research on the applicability of stem cells in regenerative therapy of the damaged heart, including the type of stem cells and their routing of introduction into the heart, the Department of Cardiology participates in two national research programmes, titled BioMedical Materials (BMM) and Translationeel Adult Stamcelonderzoek (TAS). In these programmes we cooperate closely with the Departments of Hematology, Molecular Cell Biology, Immunohematology and Blood Bank, and Pharmacy. 

In the Einthoven Laboratory of Vascular Medicine of the LUMC the Department of Cardiology collaborates with the Departments of Nephrology, Hematology, and Vascular Surgery. Epigenetic markers of vascular remodelling, PPARα/γ agonists to block progression of atherosclerosis, and single nucleotide polymorphisms that are associated with restenosis are subjects that are studied in this Laboratory. In a collaborative project with the Department of Endocrinology and the Department of Nephrology patients with diabetes type 2 who are asymptomatic for cardiovascular disease are tested thoroughly for cardiovascular risk factors, such as endothelial dysfunction and elevated plasma levels of C-reactive protein in a programme called DIACARM (DIAbetes CARdiovascular Risk Management).