Das Prodekanat für Forschung würdigt jeden Monat UKE Autorinnen und Autoren einer herausragenden Publikation, die in den vorangegangenen 2 Monaten hochrangig publiziert wurde. Ziel ist es, die am UKE enstandenen Forschungsergebnisse mit ihrer Bedeutung in der Wissenschaft einer größeren Öffentlichkeit am UKE vorzustellen. Der Aufruf zur Teilnahme richtet sich an Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler aller Fachgebiete. Einreichungsfrist für eine Bewerbung um die Auszeichnung des "Paper of the Month" ist jeweils Ende eines Monats (siehe Bewerbungsformular).
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UKE Paper of the Month February 2026
Deep-learning analysis of 3D microarchitectural remodeling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Eric Q. Wei†, Martin Beyer†, Kemar J. Brown, Alexander J. Bansbach, Joshua M. Gorham, Barbara McDonough, Huachen Chen, Mobin Khoramjoo, Anran Zhang, Brian Bishop, Ferhaan Ahmad, Carlos del Rio, Ching-Pin Chang, David M. Ryba, Sharlene M. Day, Diane Fatkin, Gavin Y. Oudit, Christine E. Seidman†, Jonathan G. Seidman*†
ABSTRACT:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic heart disease defined by unexplained cardiac wall thickening, is a leading cause of sudden death worldwide. However, the three-dimensional organization of cardiac tissue underlying left ventricular hypertrophy remains poorly understood. We developed CaMVIA-3D, a deep-learning volumetric imaging and analysis pipeline to characterize cardiac microarchitecture. Analysis of tissues from HCM hearts revealed genotype-specific differences in cardiomyocyte volume, morphology, and extracellular volume, with pathogenic variants exhibiting greater concentric cellular hypertrophy and disarray and variant-negative cases showing predominant fibrosis. Longitudinal profiling of a pig HCM model revealed early-onset fibrosis preceding cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Integrating transcriptomic and morphologic changes, we identified genes associated with cellular and extracellular remodeling. These findings define genotype-specific microstructural differences in HCM, offering insights to improve diagnostics and targeted therapies.
STATEMENT:
This is the first study to map genotype-specific microstructural remodeling in human and pig HCM hearts in true 3D at cellular and subcellular resolution, enabling the discovery of genotype-dependent disease signatures. By combining volumetric imaging with deep learning (CaMVIA-3D) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we link these remodeling patterns to gene expression programs across disease progression.
BACKGROUND:
This work involved UKE through Martin Beyer (Department of Cardiac Surgery), who is enrolled in the UKE PhD program (Medical Faculty) and contributed to the project during his postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School in the lab of Christine and Jonathan Seidman. His research focuses on deep learning-based 3D volumetric analysis to understand genotype-specific remodeling processes in cardiac pathologies, with a particular focus on inherited cardiomyopathies. This work was supported by Deutsche Herzstiftung e.V.
Science, 2026; Vol 391, Issue 6782
Congratulations to all authors!
Next PoM: To apply, the publication must have been published in March 2026. Applications will be considered in two rounds of the selection process, i.e. two months. Please send your completed PoM application to Dr. Anne Wulf by31/03/2026.