Regulation of Cardiac Rhythm and Contraction

The Cardiac Rhythm and Contraction Group has, since its creation, focused on identifying molecular and cellular electrophysiological mechanisms contributing to the development of cardiac arrhythmia in order to improve risk prediction and identify novel disease-specific therapeutic targets. We are one of a few groups that use human atrial myocytes to study pathological alterations in cardiomyocyte function. Our primary goal is to identify key mechanisms underlying the alterations in calcium homeostasis and abnormal electrical activity that occur in atrial myocytes from patients with atrial fibrillation.

Main lines of research

• Neuro-hormonal regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis in cardiac myocytes. (Hove-Madsen, Leif).
• Impact of genetic variants on electrophysiological and contractile function in cardiac myocytes. (Hove-Madsen, Leif).
• Impact of clinical factors and circulating biomarkers on human atrial myocyte function. (Hove-Madsen, Leif).
• Development of computational tools for automatized analysis of live-cell imaging experiments or protein distribution in large confocal image stacks. (Hove-Madsen, Leif).
• Development of detailed high-resolution mathematical myocyte models). (Hove-Madsen, Leif).

Scientific Challenges

The association of more than 140 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with increased risk of atrial fibrillation over the past decade affords the one of the biggest recent opportunities to make a substantial advance in risk stratification and personalized treatment of atrial fibrillation. The challenge is the vast number of SNPs, each associated with a modest increase in risk and unknown impact on function. Our opportunity is to identify SNP combinations causing synergic derangements in human atrial myocyte function and a corresponding increase in the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Contact

Leif Hove-Madsen
LMadsen@santpau.cat