Scientific Interests
The Institute for Pathophysiology has a strong translational orientation and focuses on the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and heart failure.
In recent years, endogenous protective mechanisms in myocardial infarction have been identified which can reduce the size of the infarct through various forms of "ischemic conditioning". One research focus of the Institute is to decipher the signal transduction of myocardial protection mediated by "ischemic conditioning".
In close cooperation with the Departments of Cardiology and Angiology, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, the experimental findings are translated to patients in "proof-of-concept" studies.
Deciphering the Signal Transduction
Cardioprotection works in experimental models - but does it also work in humans? Only through detailed analysis can mechanisms that could in principle also provide cardioprotection in patients be identified and utilized...
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Translation: from Bioassays to Patients
Only by combining various ex-vivo studies with an in vivo large animal model (pig) can we investigate details of cardioprotection that would not be detectable with more reductionist individual studies...
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Clinical „Proof-of-concept“ Studies
Many experimental studies have shown that repeated periods of reduced blood flow in organs and tissues remote from the heart can protect the heart from the damage caused by reduced blood flow. We are investigating this remote cardioprotection at the University Hospital Essen...