Immune regulation of vascular rarefaction and diastolic myocardial remodeling (A06)

• Subject Area: Cell Biology ; Animal Physiology and Biochemistry ; Immunology ; Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 437531118

We aim to exploit two model systems, zebrafish and rat, to uncover cellular and molecular mechanisms of immune-vascular-cardiac interaction in HFpEF pathogenesis. Our goals are to understand how immune signaling participates in vascular and cardiac remodeling and to tackle the role of the gut microenvironment on the pathogenic pathway through its influence on immune homeostasis. Furthermore, involvement of immune signaling in cardiac metabolic derangement will be examined. Finally, we will identify therapeutic candidates, from commensal microbial metabolites, capable of regulating the multi-systemic crosstalk and test their efficacy in vascular and cardiac protection.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1470: Multilevel mechanistic characterisation of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction - Towards a novel classification of HFpEF for targeted therapies
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Dominik N. Müller; Dr. Suphansa Sawamiphak