Rate My Professor Erwin van Vliet

Erwin van Vliet is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam, based at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience. He obtained his PhD in 2007 from the University of Amsterdam, with a dissertation titled 'The role of the blood-brain barrier and multidrug transporters in pharmacoresistant epilepsy: studies in a rat model for temporal lobe epilepsy.' His research centers on epilepsy, investigating epileptogenesis, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, neuroinflammation, matrix metalloproteinases, extracellular matrix remodeling, and biomarkers including circulating microRNAs and isomiRs. Van Vliet explores age-associated cerebrovascular changes contributing to epilepsy, molecular mechanisms in tuberous sclerosis complex, non-coding RNAs and inflammation in epileptogenesis, and potential therapies such as ketogenic diets, deep brain stimulation, and antiepileptogenic targets.

Since completing his PhD, van Vliet has held positions at the University of Amsterdam, advancing to Associate Professor. He has participated in prominent projects like the EU-funded EPITARGET (2013–2018), EPISTOP, ECMED, and EU-GliaPhD. Notable awards include the Harry Meinardi Dissertation Award (2010), Most Innovative Teacher of the Year from the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (2013), Comenius Teaching Fellowship (2020), NWO VENI grant (2009), and ILAE Leadership Development Program Scholarship (2017). Key publications encompass 'Blood-brain barrier leakage may lead to progression of temporal lobe epilepsy' (Brain, 2007), 'Blood-brain barrier dysfunction, seizures and epilepsy' (Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, 2015), 'Standardization procedure for plasma biomarker analysis in rat models of epileptogenesis' (Epilepsia, 2017), and 'Neurovascular unit dysfunction as a mechanism of seizures and epilepsy during aging' (Epilepsia, 2022). In teaching, he lectures in Psychobiology courses, developed Perusall-FNWI for interactive learning, and leads IguideME for personalized feedback using AI. He serves on the Epilepsia editorial board and delivers international seminars.