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Research Group Fabritz
Translational research in arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy
Aim
We aim to understand molecular mechanisms of arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies to develop targeted therapies.
Scope of Research
translational research • arrhythmia • cardiomyopathy • atrial fibrillation • biomarkers
Research Projects
1. AF-B-STEP (EU Horizon Europe - Innovative Health Initiative project):
2. MAESTRIA (EU Horizon 2020 project):
We predict rhythm and patient outcomes using clinical features and biomarkers in collaboration with partners in Birmingham, Paris, Maastricht. Madrid and others using machine learning.
3. DZHK partner site project:
4. DZHK partner site project:
5. Circulating biomolecules to guide diagnosis and therapy of cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia.
6. Bone Morphogenetic Protein 10, a potential biomarker for atrial fibrillation (PhD project Ridder 2024-2027)
7. Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy, desmosomal proteins, sodium channel dysfunction and role in atrial and ventricular arrhythmias
8. Molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and atrial thrombosis
9. Evaluating mobile and wearable tools for detection, therapy adherence and patient engagement and improvement of personalised prevention and management of care in patients with atrial fibrillation or other cardiovascular conditions
10. Molecular interaction of novel blood biomarkers and device detected AF burden
Research Focus AG Fabritz
Key Techniques
- Our translational cardiovascular research focuses on arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (AF), cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Our work includes identifying blood biomarkers as easily quantifiable proxies for disease processes and using this information to predict outcomes and guide therapies. Our collaborations within European consortia like MAESTRIA and access to clinical trials via AFNET enable us to interpret data from large clinical trials with machine learning to detect atrial cardiomyopathy and assess stroke risk.
- At the molecular level, we investigate mechanisms driving arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy, including the role of transcription factors, the function of the desmosomal microdomain and the sodium channel complex. By combining biomarker analysis, molecular biology, and computational approaches, we aim to advance personalised diagnosis, risk prediction, and treatment strategies for patients with inherited arrhythmia syndromes, AF and related cardiac conditions.
- Identification and characterization of biomarkers for cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia
- Experimental electrophysiology, optical mapping and isolated heart EPU (Shared expertise DZHK)
- Molecular and cell biology (qPCR, Western Blot, ELISA)
- Histology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence microscopy
- Atrial and ventricular cardiomyocyte isolation
- Experimental echocardiography and ECG
- Detection and monitoring of atrial fibrillation including wearables
- Development of mobile apps for adherent therapy and patient engagement
- Machine learning techniques for cardiovascular data
Group Members
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Gabi Wettengel,
Project Assistance,
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Prof. Dr. Dr. Marc Hirt,
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology,
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Dr. Laura Sommerfeld,
Postdoc, Junior PI, UCCS Fellow,
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Dr. Vaishnavi Ameya Murukutla,
Project Management,
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Christoph Al-Taie,
Data Scientist, PhD student,
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Julius Ridder,
PhD student,
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Ellen Thiemann,
PhD student,
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Silke van Elferen,
PhD student,
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Felix Flath
PhD student,
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Dr. Lisa Fortmüller,
Veterinarian,
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Benita Kröckel,
MD student,
B.Kroeckel.ext@uke.de
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Anas Alnashef,
MD student,
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Kyra Lachmann,
MD student,
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Sandro Jäckle,
MD student,
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Simon Haßkamp,
MD student,
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Daniel Stastny,
MD student,
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Constantin Paulic,
MD student,
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Lukas von Hacht,
MD student,
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Klara Steinbeck
MD student,
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Publications
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Biomarker-based prediction of sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation patients: the EAST-AFNET 4 biomolecule study
Fabritz L, Al-Taie C, Borof K, Breithardt G, Camm AJ, Crijns HJGM, Roth Cardoso V, Chua W, van Elferen S, Eckardt L, Gkoutos G, Goette A, Guasch E, Hatem S, Metzner A, Mont L, Murukutla VA, Obergassel J, Rillig A, Sinner MF, Schnabel RB, Schotten U, Sommerfeld LC, Wienhues-Thelen UH, Zapf A, Zeller T, Kirchhof P.Eur Heart J. 2024 Dec 16;45(47):5002-5019. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae611.PMID: 39215973 -
PITX2 deficiency leads to atrial mitochondrial dysfunction.
Reyat JS, Sommerfeld LC, O'Reilly M, Roth Cardoso V, Thiemann E, Khan AO, O'Shea C, Harder S, Müller C, Barlow J, Stapley RJ, Chua W, Kabir SN, Grech O, Hummel O, Hübner N, Kääb S, Mont L, Hatem SN, Winters J, Zeemering S, Morgan NV, Rayes J, Gehmlich K, Stoll M, Brand T, Schweizer M, Piasecki A, Schotten U, Gkoutos GV, Lorenz K, Cuello F, Kirchhof P, Fabritz L.
Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Dec 4;120(15):1907-1923. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvae169.PMID: 39129206 -
Endurance Training Provokes Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Phenotype in Heterozygous Desmoglein-2 Mutants: Alleviation by Preload Reduction.
Fabritz L, Fortmueller L, Gehmlich K, Kant S, Kemper M, Kucerova D, Syeda F, Faber C, Leube RE, Kirchhof P, Krusche CA.Biomedicines. 2024 Apr 30;12(5):985. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12050985.PMID: 38790949 -
Blood-based cardiometabolic phenotypes in atrial fibrillation and their associated risk: EAST-AFNET 4 biomolecule study.
Fabritz L, Chua W, Cardoso VR, Al-Taie C, Borof K, Suling A, Krause L, Kany S, Magnussen C, Wegscheider K, Breithardt G, Crijns HJGM, Camm AJ, Gkoutos G, Ellinor PT, Goette A, Schotten U, Wienhues-Thelen UH, Zeller T, Schnabel RB, Zapf A, Kirchhof P.
Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Jul 2;120(8):855-868. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvae067.PMID: 38613511 -
Reduced plakoglobin increases the risk of sodium current defects and atrial conduction abnormalities in response to androgenic anabolic steroid abuse.
Sommerfeld LC, Holmes AP, Yu TY, O'Shea C, Kavanagh DM, Pike JM, Wright T, Syeda F, Aljehani A, Kew T, Cardoso VR, Kabir SN, Hepburn C, Menon PR, Broadway-Stringer S, O'Reilly M, Witten A, Fortmueller L, Lutz S, Kulle A, Gkoutos GV, Pavlovic D, Arlt W, Lavery GG, Steeds R, Gehmlich K, Stoll M, Kirchhof P, Fabritz L.J Physiol. 2024 Sep;602(18):4409-4436. doi: 10.1113/JP284597. Epub 2024 Feb 12.PMID: 38345865
Grants/Awards
- AF-B-STEP (EU Horizon Europe - Innovative Health Initiative project):
Quantifying Atrial Fibrillation Burden to inform Screening, Treatment, and hEalth Policy (2026-2029) - MAESTRIA (EU Horizon 2020 project):
Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Early Detection Stroke Atrial Fibrillation (2021–2026)
We predict rhythm and patient outcomes using clinical features and biomarkers in collaboration with partners in Birmingham, Paris, Maastricht. Madrid and others. -
DZHK partner site project: New biomarkers for atrial fibrillation: Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation (2021-2025)
- DZHK partner site project: Stratified therapy of arrhythmias and heart failure: Interactions of inherited and environmental factors (2026-2030)
- DZHK early postdoc start-up grant Dr. Laura Sommerfeld: Molecular interaction of a novel blood biomarker and atrial high rate episode (AHRE) burden (2024-2025)
- DFG project Co-Investigation:
Evaluation of diagnostic tests with spatially or temporally clustered data (ClusterDiag) to Rübsamen, Zapf (2024-2027)
Most important collaboration partners
- Local:
Local: University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg UHZ, Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, Institute for Human Genetics - DZHK
- University of Birmingham, UK
- University Sorbonne
- University Paris-Saclay
- CNIC, Madrid
- University of Maastricht
- University of Münster
- Boston, Broad Institute