Prof dr. J.W. (Jolien) Roos-Hesselink, MD PhD

Jolien Roos-Hesselink is Professor of Cardiology at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.  She is director of the Department of Adult Congenital Heart Disease. Her clinical work and research involves Congenital Heart Disease, Aortic disease and Pregnancy and maternal cardiac disease.

She has authored and co-authored over 300 scientific publications and mentored 15 PhD students. She is chair of the ESC working group on Adult Congenital Heart Disease. She initiated and chairs, together with Prof Roger Hall (UK), a large prospective worldwide Registry On Pregnancy And Cardiac disease. Furthermore she was the co-chair of the Taskforce on ESC guidelines on  Pregnancy and Cardiovascular disease. She is principal investigator of a multicentre study on the impact of gender on heritable thoracic aortic disease.

• Adult congenital heart disease
• Aorta pathology
• Marfan syndrome
• Loeys-Dietz syndrome
• Pregnancy and heart disease

• 1979-1987 Medical school, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands, final thesis on myocardial infarction during pregnancy
• Doctorate: Yes
• University: Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Date: 24-06-2004
• Supervisor(s): Prof.dr. M.L. Simoons
• Title of thesis: Congenital Heart Disease at Adult Age

Professor in Cardiology
Supervised 15 theses

Jolien Roos-Hesselink (co)-organised national and international congresses and symposia on adult congenital heart disease, echocardiography, aortic pathology and pregnancy and cardiac disease. Professor Roos was invited frequently to lecture in Europe (ESC) as well as at the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, World Congress of Cardiology and Japanese Cardiac Society, including highly valued “focus-“ and “highlight-sessions”. In Erasmus MC she provides teaching to medical students, AIOS/ANOS, nurses, fellows in congenital cardiology, paramedics and technicians and organizes postgraduate training for cardiologists. From residents in cardiology she received highest scores on feedback-ratings (Set-Q and D-RECT). She mentored and inspired many young colleagues. Also her minor students are inspired and highly motivated by her and her work. She served on  ESC guidelines committees on adult congenital heart disease 2010 and 2020, pregnancy 2011 and 2018, endocarditis 2015, pericardial disease 2015, as well as in scientific program committees (AEPC 2016, CPP 2012, 2014, 2016, Aortic pathology 2013,2015, 2017). In 2012 she received the prestigious Kent Ueland Distinguished Award for her outstanding contributions to teaching, research and patient care in the field of pregnancy and cardiac disease. 

• Managing/coordinating courses/programmes (course, target group, ECTS, dates)
• Organizing Echocardiography course in Erasmus MC 1 x year, cardiologists and echo technicians, 50 persons, January every year for the past 15 years
• Organizing COEUR courses in Erasmus MC 1 x year, 20-30 PhD students
• Organizing patient information days, 1-2x per year, 200 patients and relatives
• Co-organizing International Congress on “Cardiac Problems in Pregnancy”, bi-annually, 400 cardiologists, ECTS 24, 2012 Berlin (Germany), 2014 Venice (Italy), 2016 Las Vegas (US), 2018 Bologna (Italy).
• Co-organizing EuroGUCH, yearly Congress on Adult Congenital Heart Disease, 300 cardiologists, ECTS 18. 2015 London (UK), 2016 München (Germany), 2017 Lausanne (Switzerland), 2018 Munster (Germany), 2019 Zagreb (Kroatie)  
• Developing courses/programmes (course, target group, ECTS, dates)
• Developing and Organizing Aorta Symposium bi-annually, successfully organized in Rotterdam (WTC 2015) planned for Sept 2017 in Antwerp, Belgium. 300 cardiologists, ECTS 12.
• Organizer NVVC symposium (voor- en najaarscongres) 2014-2016
• Developing and Organizing Minor teaching programme “Congenital Heart Disease” 3rd year medical students

Jolien Roos-Hesselink is co-founder and board-member of the Dutch working group on Adult Congenital Heart Disease in the Netherlands. Currently, she is the president of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) working group on Adult Congenital Heart Disease and the coordinator of related research programs in Europe. In The Netherlands she was chairperson of the Dekker programme of the Netherlands Heart Foundation (2012-2015) and chairperson of the Congress-committee of the Netherlands Cardiac Society (NVVC 2014-2016).  She chairs the ROPAC executive committee and was a member of the EBAC (European Board of Accreditation in Cardiology). She is part of the European Reference Network on aortic disease.

In Erasmus MC she is director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program and chair of the ACE on Congenital Heart Disease. 

She founded and was the first co-chairperson of VENA, an organisation to stimulate female academic doctors and researchers in Erasmus MC. This very successful organisation developed several programmes, including workshops, lectures and a mentor-programme. 18 VENA members have received professorships at Erasmus University

Finally, in 2011 she initiated the Thorax Foundation that acquired € 2.5 million from the private sector for research and organises lectures for patients and other interested people.

• In 2012 she received the prestigious Kent Ueland Distinguished Award for her outstanding contributions to teaching, research and patient care in the field of pregnancy and cardiac disease.  
• In 2015 she was nominated “promotor of the year”.