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Research group/lab

Experimental Cardiology

Experimental Cardiology studies the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease, that serves to develop novel diagnostic modalities and treatments for cardiovascular disease.

About our research group/lab

Our research

Background

The Laboratory for Experimental Cardiology was originally set up within the Department of Cardiology in the 1970’s to test novel pharmaco- and device therapies in the laboratory setting before testing these therapies in the clinical arena. At present, Experimental Cardiology is principally involved in experimental studies aimed at increasing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease, in order to find novel targets for therapy.

Overall aim

To enhance our understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease, which serves as a mechanistic basis for the development of new diagnostic tools and novel treatments for cardiovascular disease.

Research focus area

The Laboratory for Experimental Cardiology performs highly integrated multidisciplinary studies into a broad range of cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart disease, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and stroke. For this purpose, we use a wide array of in vivo and in vitro experimental models (cell cultures, isolated organs, human disease model technologies, intact animals, etc.) and experimental techniques (functional assays, hemodynamics, molecular biology, histopathology, etc.). These studies are often performed in close collaboration with several other research groups at Erasmus MC as well as national and international research groups.

Research themes

Within Experimental Cardiology there are four research themes/groups:

  • Cardiac Maladaptation to Stress and Damage
  • Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Function
  • Coronary and Cerebral Vascular Damage & Repair
  • Angiogenesis in Health and Disease

Key Publications

  1. Multiple common co-morbidities produce left ventricular diastolic dysfunction associated with coronary microvascular dysfunction, oxidative stress and myocardial stiffening. Cardiovasc Res. 2018;114:954-964.
  2. Exercise training has contrasting effects in myocardial infarction and pressure overload due to divergent endothelial nitric oxide synthase regulation. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19:E1968.
  3. Transcriptome analysis reveals microvascular endothelial cell-dependent pericyte differentiation. Sci Rep. 2019;9:15586.
  4. Cardiac remodelling in a swine model of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: comparison of right vs left ventricle. J Physiol 2019;597:4465-4480.
  5. Perturbations in myocardial perfusion and oxygen balance in swine with multiple risk factors: a novel model of ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease. Basic Res Cardiol. 2020;115:21.
  6. Comparison of Large Animal Models for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Which Model to Use? Stroke. 2022;53:1411-1422.

Collaborations

Collaboration within Erasmus MC

Collaboration outside Erasmus MC

We collaborate within several national and international frameworks:

 

Funding & Grants

Through the years, Experimental Cardiology has been well-funded with grants from many sources, including the Dutch Heart Foundation (DHF), and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, ZonMw), Thrombosis Foundation, Wellcome Trust, EU grants (ERC and FP), public private partnerships, and Erasmus Grants. 

Experimental Cardiology hosts several laureates, including a KNAW Academy Researcher, DHF Established Investigator, VENI and VIDI awardee, Erasmus MC Fellow, and a DHF Dekker Junior and Senior Post-Doc Laureate.
 

Our team

Principal Investigators

Postdocs

Phd Students

Related

Departments and research centers

specialism

Cardiology