Cardiac rhythm and contraction

Our group focuses on patho-physiological aspects of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and arrhythmogenesis. Our goal is to improve the understanding of key genetic and molecular factors underlying the development of pathological changes in cardiac contraction and rhythm We use quantitative electrophysiological techniques such as current- and voltage-clamp techniques as well as confocal imaging techniques in situ and in vitro (live-cell imaging to visualize changes in calcium or membrane potential and immunofluorescent labeling to visualize the distribution of proteins regulating intracellular calcium or membrane potential) . Currently, funded projects and research collaborations are focusing on 1) the identification of functional electrophysiological alterations caused by Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with risk of atrial fibrillation and 2) remodeling of cyclic-AMP signaling and its impact on calcium homeostasis in patients with atrial fibrillation.