Cellular junctions: target structures for inflammation in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and beyond (A04)

• Subject Area: Cardiology, Angiology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 453989101

This project aims to investigate the complex interaction between disturbed cardiac junctions due to i) genetic defects in desmosomal proteins, ii) cardiac and systemic inflammation, and iii) autoimmunity and its role in triggering, maintaining, and exacerbating arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in transgenic mice and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. We will also study the interaction with an acute or chronic viral trigger in animals genetically predisposed to be heterozygous for a desmosomal mutation.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1525: Cardio-Immune Interfaces
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Lars Dölken; Professorin Dr. Brenda Gerull