Prof. Jan Danser - Pushing Boundaries in Vascular Pharmacology at Erasmus University

In the heart of Rotterdam, inside the renowned Erasmus University Medical Center, Professor Jan Danser leads one of Europe’s most innovative pharmacology labs focused on vascular biology and translational research. With a career spanning decades and an ever-evolving portfolio of high-impact publications, Prof. Danser is not just a professor—he’s a mentor, a visionary, and a relentless investigator of human cardiovascular physiology. 

A Lab Like No Other... 

What makes Prof. Danser’s lab stand out is its impressive infrastructure and intense research throughput. Housing over 15 PhD students, the lab runs two full in-vitro experiments daily, utilizing 40 different baths. Their systems include multiple 1-, 2- and 4-channel systems. Each setup is used to its full potential, and every student is extensively trained before operating the systems—ensuring precision and reproducibility in every assay. 

“At this level, reliability is not optional - it’s essential,” notes PhD candidate Madhavi Harhangi, who has spent three years in the lab. “We’re working with very special tissues - human arteries and vessels that no one else in the world has access to. We need equipment that gives us results we can trust.” 

Human Tissue, Real-Time Research 

What sets the Danser lab apart is its direct access to rare, high-quality human tissues. Through an exclusive partnership with a Dutch hospital, the lab receives fresh vessel samples - including coronary arteries and placental arteries from mothers with a history of drug addiction - delivered via courier, sometimes in the middle of the night. A dedicated team member is always on call to receive these samples and ensure proper storage and preparation, no matter when the tissue is delivered. 

“Isolating vessels is key,” says Harhangi. “We isolate umbilical cord arteries from placentas exposed to addictive substances during pregnancy. These tissues allow us to study how drugs impact fetal development - a line of research no one else is currently pursuing.” 

Accessing and publishing research on these unique samples requires special ethical approval and patient consent. Prof. Danser emphasizes the importance of proactivity in sourcing quality vessels, a philosophy that underpins the lab’s success in pioneering research on sFlt-1, VEGF inhibitors, and preeclampsia-related mechanisms. 

The Pressure to Publish... and Excel...

Prof. Danser holds his students to a rigorous academic standard. Each PhD candidate is expected to publish four scientific papers within four years. This goal is not merely academic - it’s a reflection of the lab’s intense daily workflow, strategic planning, and a research culture built around continuous training and scientific excellence. 

With such high expectations, every element in the lab - from technique to technology - must perform at the highest level. The team transitioned from DMT’s 2-channel 410A systems to the more advanced 4-channel 620M, allowing them to scale up experiments and reduce turnaround time. 

Why DMT? Trust and Precision...
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For Prof. Danser and his students, DMT’s systems are more than just tools - they are the foundation of reliable science. “The accuracy and consistency of DMT equipment are unmatched,” says Harhangi. “When you’re working with tissue this rare and data this valuable, you can’t afford to question your setup.” 
 
As the lab continues to break new ground in the field of human vascular pharmacology—whether through antibody-based treatments, receptor analysis, or translational studies in preeclampsia - one thing is clear... excellence is not an accident in the Danser lab. It’s engineered every single day.