Fibroblast-cardiomyocyte crosstalk in health and disease: focus on mechanisms and therapeutic interventions in cardiofibroblastopathies (C04)

• Subject Area: Pharmacology
• Term: from 2012 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 193793266

We defined fibroblasts as key contributors to heart muscle homeostasis and to heart failure phenotypes in RAF1 and SERPINH1 genetic models of fibroblast dysfunction (designated as prototypic cardiofibroblastopathy models). We hypothesize that fibroblast-targeted genome editing can counter cardiofibroblastopathy phenotypes by modifying transcriptome dysregulation (CRISPR activation or inactivation) or by base/prime editing. Collectively, our study will test whether fibroblast-targeted genome editing may be of therapeutic value in genetic and non-genetic heart failure.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1002: Modulatory Units in Heart Failure
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Heads: Dr. Malte Tiburcy; Professor Dr. Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann