The External Review Committee (ECR) assessed the overall quality and relevance of the institute as very good to excellent, and the productivity and perspective very good. It concluded that “the basic and clinical science at ICaR-VU is overall of high quality and that the institute is ‘a pearl of Dutch science’, a pearl that should be carefully protected and conserved”. In order to preserve the high research profile and fulfill the future plans, rebalancing of the resources within the organization is to a certain degree unavoidable.
The facilities of ICaR-VU are in general excellent and the ECR recommended exploiting some laboratory facilities for more national and international publicity. The ERC was pleased by the quality and enthusiasm of young investigators they met during the audit. It also noticed that within the Heart theme collaboration between clinical and basic scientists has remarkably improved during the last years, and pointed to the potential for more translational research in both the Heart and Vascular themes. The ERC also recommended obtaining more funding from national and international resources, such as the European Union. The ERC was very charmed by the idea of creating a ‘Think Tank’ of ICaR-VU, which, in addition to free exchange of ideas in open brainstorming sessions, would also be useful in structuring clinical enthusiasm, promoting translational research and streamlining research proposals.