In the last decade, technical improvements have changed the inventory of many research laboratories. New techniques and discoveries continuously give rise to observations that result in the de?nition of new research objectives. In the past, - search departments were clearly demarcated. Nowadays, technology that is shared by all lines of research stimulates convergence of research interests. This also - plies to cardiovascular research. Vascular occlusive disease is now core business for researchers employed by cardiology, vascular surgery, vascular medicine, - diology, cell biology,...