Heart Failure
heart failure
Dr. Suphansa Sawamiphak
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is commonly associated with systemic inflammation. It has been posited that disruption of immune homeostasis underlies functional and structural remodeling of the microvessels, thereby leading to diastolic dysfunctionality of the myocardium. Intervention on this pathogenic pathway is anticipated to serve as the much-needed therapeutic strategy against HFpEF. However, cellular and molecular mechanism underlying the crosstalk between the immune and cardiovascular system in HFpEF pathogenesis is yet to be uncovered. Here we set off to investigate the entwined immune-vascular-cardiac interactions. Our goal is not only to shed more light into the mechanistic insights, but also to identify potential therapeutic candidates capable of preventing adverse cardiovascular remodeling. To this end, we focus on elucidating the role of the gut and microbial metabolites in the regulation of the multi-systemic crosstalk by exploiting optical translucency and genetic tractability of the zebrafish as a disease model. We use a range of techniques in zebrafish genetics, molecular biology, advanced microscopy, and transcriptomic analysis. For more information and for applying follow this link: https://www.mdc-berlin.de/career/jobs/phd-student
Neuroimmune interactions in Cardiovascular Diseases
The nervous system and the immune system share the common ability to exert gatekeeper roles at the interfaces between internal and external environment. Although interaction between these two evolutionarily highly conserved systems is long recognized, the pathophysiological mechanisms regulating their reciprocal crosstalk in cardiovascular diseases became object of investigation only more recently. In the last years, our group elucidated how the autonomic nervous system controls the splenic immunity recruited by hypertensive challenges. In my talk, I will focus on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the neuro-immune crosstalk in hypertension. I will elaborate on the mechanistic insights into this brain-spleen axis led us uncover a new molecular pathway mediating the neuroimmune interaction established by noradrenergic-mediated release in the spleen of placental growth factor (PlGF), an angiogenic growth factor potentially targetable with pharmacological approaches.
Acting from the heart: Behavior and cognitive function of rats with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and empagliflozin effects
FENS Forum 2024