Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research - W. G. Kerckhoff Institute

Departments and Research Groups

Departments

Anatomical X-ray of a human torso, showing a bright red heart and surrounding blood vessels, with a focus on the skeletal structure.

Thomas Braun

Cardiac Development and Remodelling (Dept. I)

The research in the department aims to identify the processes governing the development of contractile tissues.

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Stefan Offermanns

Pharmacology (Dept. II)

The department investigates cellular signaling pathways and mechanisms of pathophysiological processes in the cardiovascular and metabolic system as well as in cancer.

Several striped fish swim in a brightly lit, reflective blue aquarium.

Didier Stainier

Developmental Genetics (Dept. III)

The Stainier lab investigates questions related to organogenesis including cell differentiation, tissue morphogenesis, organ homeostasis and function, as well as organ regeneration.

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Emeritus Group Seeger

Lung Development and Remodelling

The goal is translational research in the field of lung diseases. more

Research Groups

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Epigenetics

Lei Gu

The Gu Laboratory combines bioinformatics, epigenomics, cancer biology, fly genetics, and mass spectroscopy to identify and investigate the role of novel epigenetic modifications.

Visual representation of circadian processes involving central and peripheral clocks in the body, focusing on heart functions and their link to cardiovascular diseases, highlighting prevention and treatment strategies.

Circadian rhythms in heart metabolism

Pieterjan Dierickx

The Dierickx Lab is interested in how the circadian clock controls rhythmic processes in the heart. Circadian rhythms coordinate many aspects of behaviour and physiology to synchronise with the 24-hour rotation of the Earth.

Neurocardiac Axis – Sympathetic Neuroimmunology in Heart Failure

Karin Ziegler

The research group led by Dr. Karin Ziegler is investigating the role of the sympathetic nervous system in cardiovascular diseases in order to develop new therapies for heart disease.

Illustration of a mitochondrion depicting RNA and protein synthesis, encircled by arrows labeled detect, response, and recover.

Cellular Resilience

Reymond Sutandy

The research group led by Dr Reymond Sutandy is investigating how cells remain resilient under stress and how mitochondria act as signalling molecules in this process.

Former Research Groups

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Guillermo Barreto

Lung Cancer Epigenetics

Michael Potente

Angiogenesis and Metabolism