Cardiac repair and regeneration
Cardiac regeneration, Engineering, Gene therapy
Research aim
Current available therapies for chronic heart diseases only alleviate symptoms and prevent the disease from becoming worse. We aim to improve our understanding and stimulate our natural potential for myocardial repair.
About us
Heart disease is the main cause of death and accounts for an astounding 31% of all deaths world-wide and often caused by a loss of heart muscle cells, usually because of a heart attack or progressing towards heart failure due to malfunctioning contractile cells. Current therapies, such as lifestyle changes, modern drugs, implanted devices only alleviate symptoms and prevent the disease from becoming worse. Cardiac transplantation is currently the only curative therapy available for end-stage heart failure patients. In our research, we focus on understanding and harnessing the limited natural potential for cardiac regeneration, thereby aiming for providing a true cure for the cause of the diseases. To achieve this goal, human-derived myocardial tissues, 3D created advanced models from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiovascular cells, regenerative animal models (e.g. zebrafish) are used to study the regenerative potential and to provide insights in disease mechanisms and possibilities. This information is used to explore the use of cardiovascular genetic therapies to intervene early in the course of disease progression and to design bioengineered myocardial tissues for implantation in the advanced end-stages of the disease. In addition, we develop tools and insights to preserve hearts tissues for transplantation via extended organ perfusion or long-term storage of engineered heart tissues.