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Research Group Schinner
Molecular Cardiology
Aim
Our driving question is: What are the processes that lead to cardiomyopathies, especially -Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy (ACM) - and what can we learn from them to develop novel therapeutic strategies?
Scope of Research
Cardiomyopathies · Desmosomes · Fibrosis · Arrhythmia · Inflammation
Research Projects
Our research projects address different aspects of the disease cascade in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM):
1. Early disease mechanisms:
We integrate cardiac function data with spatio-temporal gene expression patterns to identify early molecular drivers of arrhythmias and cardiac fibrosis. Our goal is to pinpoint changes that occur in the very initial phases of ACM.
2. Cell-type-specific mechanisms:
We investigate the role of distinct cardiac cell subtypes in disease progression and how they modulate the ACM phenotype. Special focus is placed on intercellular communication and remodeling processes.
3. Pro-adhesive therapeutic strategies:
Based on our recent findings on defective cell-cell adhesion in ACM (Schinner et al., Circulation, 2022), we evaluate the therapeutic potential of compounds that restore adhesion and potentially counteract disease progression.
4. Immune-mediated components:
We assess the contribution of both circulating and tissue-resident immune factors and explore how targeted modulation could provide new therapeutic avenues.
Key Techniques
- Cardiomyopathy Models:
2D and 3D stem cell-based heart models (cardioids), inducible transgenic mouse models - Molecular Profiling:
Spatial transcriptomics and proteomics - Morphology / Imaging:
Histology, immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, confocal and high-resolution microscopy
- Functional Analysis:
Echocardiography and electrocardiography (ECG) - Drug Screening:
High-throughput screening of potential therapeutic compounds
Group Members
Arturo Aguado Gonzales
PhD student
Adrita Chanda,
PhD student
Patricia Manske,
MD student
Publications
-
Screening for pro-adhesive compounds and their relevance as therapeutic approach in Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy.
Hanns P, Colpaert R, Castellanos-Martínez R, Weidner F, Beensen S, Matthias F, Xu L, Kuster G, Schinner C. bioRxiv 2025.03.23.643549; https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.23.643549 -
Defective Desmosomal Adhesion Causes Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy by Involving an Integrin-αVβ6/TGF-β Signaling Cascade.
Schinner C, Xu L, Franz H, Zimmermann A, Wanuske MT, Rathod M, Hanns P, Geier F, Pelczar P, Liang Y, Lorenz V, Stüdle C, Maly PI, Kauferstein S, Beckmann BM, Sheikh F, Kuster GM, Spindler V.
Circulation. 2022 Nov 22;146(21):1610-1626. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057329 -
The inotropic agent digitoxin strengthens desmosomal adhesion in cardiac myocytes in an ERK1/2-dependent manner.
Schinner C, Olivares-Florez S, Schlipp A, Trenz S, Feinendegen M, Flaswinkel H, Kempf E, Egu DT, Yeruva S, Waschke J.
Basic Research in Cardiology. 2020 Jun 17;115(4):46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-020-0805-3 -
Stabilization of desmoglein-2 binding rescues arrhythmia in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Schinner C, Erber BM, Yeruva S, Schlipp A, R.tzer V, Kempf E, Kant S, Leube RE, Mueller TD, Waschke J.
JCI Insight. 2020 May 7;5(9):e130141. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.130141. -
Adrenergic Signaling Strengthens Cardiac Myocyte Cohesion.
Schinner C, Vielmuth F, R.tzer V, Hiermaier M, Radeva MY, Co TK, Hartlieb E, Schmidt A, Imhof A, Messoudi A, Horn A, Schlipp A, Spindler V, Waschke J.
Circulation Research. 2017 Apr 14;120(8):1305-1317. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.309631
Grants/Awards
- Since 2024: Funding by the Heike and Wolfgang Mühlbauer Foundation
- 2024–2029:SNSF Starting Grant – “ACTT – Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: Investigation of new mechanisms and therapeutic targets”
- 2024:Pfizer Research Prize, Zurich
- 2019:Young Investigator Award, Anatomical Society (Göttingen)
- 2017:Rolf Becker Award, LMU Munich
Most important collaboration partners
- Fabritz, Larissa – Hamburg
- Gerull, Brenda – Würzburg
- Kauferstein, Silke – Frankfurt
- Kowalczyk, Andrew – Penn State University
- Mercader, Nadia – Bern
- Molina, Christina – Hamburg
- Odening, Katja – Bern
- Osterwalder, Marco – Bern
- Spindler, Volker – Hamburg