Preclinical Ultra High Frequency Ultrasound imaging system

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 426125151

Investigation of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of heart failure focussing on inflammation, metabolism and genetics in mouse modelsA variety of pathological factors like inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic disorders as well as genetic mutations cause impairment of cardiac function. Heart failure is one the leading causes for mortality and morbidity in an ageing population. Thus, the assessment of cardiac function is of great importance in clinical practice as well as in experimental research. The main techniques to determine cardiac function are magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) and echocardiography. MRT is not only producing high expenses but is also time- and personnel-consuming. In consequence, echocardiography is the standard technique for the assessment of cardiac function in clinical practice and basic and translational research. In the course of the assignment of Prof. Dr. Volker Rudolph to the position of the director of the clinic for general and interventional cardiology and angiology at HDZ NRW in summer 2018 he is currently, together with Dr. Anna Klinke, establishing a new basic research group at HDZ NRW. The successful investigation of cardiovascular pathomechanisms in mouse models, which has been conducted so far, will be continued and enlarged and collaborations with research groups at HDZ NRW will be established and intensified in order to design an application for a collaborative research group. Using an ultrasound imaging device for rodents is essential for the planned projects and is a central component of future research at HDZ NRW.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Präklinisches Ultra-Hochfrequenz Ultraschallsystem
• Instrumentation Group: 3900 Ultraschall-Diagnostikgeräte
• Applicant Institution: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• Leader: Dr. Anna Klinke, Ph.D.