The main research interest of the research theme Heart failure covers (1) early detection of new onset or worsening heart failure and its complications (such as arrhythmias) in primary, secondary and tertiary care; (2) the importance of co-morbidity in the development, recognition, prognosis and treatment of heart failure; and (3) innovative ways to improve prognosis in all four stages of heart failure such as through e-health, devices, advanced imaging techniques and gene and cell therapy. Basic research focuses on the elucidation of underlying pathways in heart failure, with special emphasis on genetic susceptibility to develop heart failure, the discovery of novel biomarkers and electrical-mechanical remodelling, with the aim to improve prevention of new onset or worsening heart failure and to develop novel therapeutic (and monitoring) targets which will be validated in population-based studies and primary and secondary care patients. 

Research objectives:

• Development of a drug discovery pipeline for heart failure using induced pluripotent stem cells (ipsc); creation of an animal model for diastolic heart failure, and models for genetic cardiomyopathies (zebrafish, pigs).
• The use of (epi-)genetic analyses to unravel the mechanisms responsible for complex heart failure and cardiomyopathies.
• To apply the unique expertise in our large animal facility where device and drug testing is executed, meeting high quality standards including electrophysiological studies; the development of models to understand right heart failure during LVAD therapy; and the examination of strategies for biventricular longterm support.
• Expansion of research lines aiming to understand microvascular dysfunction as the underlying cause of diastolic dysfunction using imaging technologies and by studying epigenetic mechanisms in circulating endothelial cells.
• Exploration of mechanisms involved in electromechanical remodelling and arrhythmogenesis using large and small animal models, zebrafish and stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.