The focus of our department is to explore innovative therapeutic strategies targeting the leading causes of mortality: cardiovascular diseases and cancer/metastasis. Central to our approach is to understand the fundamental mechanisms that drive these diseases and to translate these insights into transformative therapies.
Cardiovascular Therapeutics
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Dr. Johnny Kim
Co-Director Cardiovascular Therapeutics
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Dr. Boris Strilic
Co-Director Cardiovascular Therapeutics
Our vision
By combining advanced technologies such as mRNA therapeutics, nanoparticle delivery systems and partial cellular reprogramming we are uncovering new therapeutic pathways and translating fundamental biological discoveries to develop novel treatments for cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Cellular Reprogramming & Regeneration
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Dr. Johnny Kim
Head of Functional Unit Cellular Reprogramming & Regeneration
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Dr. Boris Strilic
Deputy Head of Functional Unit Cellular Reprogramming & Regeneration
Our activities and competenecs
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Human iPSC-based disease models and Engineered Heart Tissue (EHT)
Generation and differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into cardiovascular cell types and three-dimensional engineered heart tissues for disease modeling, target validation, and therapeutic development.
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Functional cardiac phenotyping
Assessment of contractility, electrophysiology, calcium handling, and tissue maturation in advanced in vitro cardiac models.
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Translational model development
Harnessing physiologically relevant cardiovascular model systems bridging basic research and preclinical therapeutic evaluation.
Our methods and platforms
hiPSC differentiation platform
Differentiation protocols for cardiovascular cell types such as cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and immune cells.
Engineered Heart Tissue platform
3D cardiac tissue engineering for functional assessment of disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions.
Functional phenotyping
Contractility measurements, calcium imaging, electrophysiology, and molecular characterization of engineered cardiac tissues.
Advanced cell culture systems
2D and 3D in vitro platforms for translational cardiovascular research.
Our activities and competences
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Cellular reprogramming
Investigation of transient cellular reprogramming strategies to restore tissue function and promote regeneration.
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Regenerative cardiovascular medicine
Development of RNA-based regenerative approaches for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
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Engineering regenerative programs
Development of next-generation reprogramming strategies through optimization of engineered transcription factors and precise temporal control of their activities.
Our methods and platforms
mRNA-based gene delivery
Transient expression of regenerative factors using synthetic mRNA technologies.
Cellular reprogramming models
In vitro and in vivo models to investigate tissue regeneration and repair.
Functional regeneration assays
Assessment of proliferation, differentiation, and regenerative capacity in cardiovascular cells.
Molecular profiling
Mutliomic-level molecular and functional analyses to characterize reprogramming-associated pathways.
Vascular Biomedicine & Immunology
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Dr. Boris Strilic
Head of Functional Unit Vascular Biomedicine & Immunology
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Dr. Johnny Kim
Deputy Head of Functional Unit Vascular Biomedicine & Immunology
Our activities and competences
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Targeted RNA delivery
Development of strategies to enhance specificity and precision of therapeutic RNA expression in defined cardiovascular cell populations.
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Therapeutic mRNA
Design and evaluation of mRNA therapeutics for diseases such as myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and metastasis.
Our methods and platforms
In vivo disease models
Preclinical mouse models of myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and metastasis.
Vascular cell models
Primary and stem cell-derived endothelial and vascular cell culture systems.
Cell-selective mRNA design
Development of advanced RNA engineering strategies, including regulatory expression elements, to restrict therapeutic protein expression to desired target cell populations.
Molecular and functional analysis
Gene expression profiling, histology, flow cytometry, imaging, and functional characterization of cardiovascular tissues.
Cardiovascular Engineering
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Dr. Johnny Kim
Head of Functional Unit Cardiovascular Engineering
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Dr. Tim Stüdemann
Deputy Head of Functional Unit Cardiovascular Engineering
