Research Group Fabritz

Translational research in arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy


Name: Prof. Dr. Larissa Fabritz
Department/Center/Institute: University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg (UHZ),
University Center of Cardiovascular Science (UCCS)
Email: l.fabritz@uke.de
Phone: +49 (0) 40 7410 - 57980

Professor Fabritz and colleagues at UHZ also see patients with inheritable cardiac conditions like channelopathies and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies (e.g. ARVC) in the inherited cardiac conditions clinic of UHZ.

Please contact herz-gefaessambulanz@uke.de /call +49 (0) 40 7410 - 52961 for an appointment in ICC clinic.

Research Focus and Main research questions

Translational Research in Inherited Cardiac Conditions with a Focus on Arrhythmias and Cardiomyopathies.

Research Projects

  • Molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and atrial thrombosis
  • Sodium channel dysfunction and its role in atrial and ventricular arrhythmias
  • Desmosomal proteins
  • Effects of ageing and exercise on arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy
  • Translation of preclinical research into clinical trials
  • Circulating biomolecules to guide diagnosis and therapy of cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias
  • Statistical modelling, big data and machine learning techniques for cardiovascular research
  • Mobile and wearable tools for atrial fibrillation screening, therapy adherence and patient engagement and improvement of personalised prevention and management of care in patients with atrial fibrillation

  • Methods
  • Methods

    Methods:

    • Translation of preclinical research into clinical trials
    • Screening for atrial fibrillation including wearables
    • Development of mobile apps for adherent therapy and patient engagement
    • Identification and characterization of biomarkers for cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia
    • Big data and machine learning techniques for cardiovascular data
    • Experimental echocardiography and ECG
    • Experimental electrophysiology including optical mapping
    • Molecular and cell biology (qPCR, Western Blot, ELISA)
    • Histology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence microscopy
    • Atrial and ventricular cardiomyocyte isolation
    • Measurement and analysis of intracellular calcium dynamics

    DZHK - Shared Expertise

    SE221 - Experimental cardiac electrophysiology in isolated hearts and cardiac tissue

    Models in cardiovascular research can be assessed for their electrophysiological characteristics which may include (depending on model and project) e.g. an increased or reduced vulnerability to arrhythmias, intrinsic sinus bradycardia or tachycardia, increased or reduced conduction and alterations in action potential duration and effective refractory period.
    We have experience in experimental cardiac electrophysiological phenotyping, e.g.

    • Isolated beating heart electrophysiological study in genetically altered hearts as published below.
    • High resolution optical mapping using fluorescent dyes in cardiac tissue or the isolated genetically altered heart as published below.

    Shared Expertise

    Shared expertise are scientific competences or laboratory methods that one local DZHK partner makes available to other DZHK partner sites in the context of at least bilateral projects. This funding scheme allows especially young scientists to independently realize small project ideas for early translation of experimental hypotheses.

    We have experience in experimental design of how to plan and set up electrophysiological experiments in isolated hearts and cardiac tissue of genetically altered models.
    We have experience in recording, digital analysis and interpretation of cardiac electrophysiological parameters.
    Depending on the project, parameters assessed may include spontaneous or induced atrial or ventricular arrhythmias in isolated heart and tissue, atrial and ventricular activation times, conduction velocity, atrial and ventricular action potential durations.

  • Recent Funding:

    2026-2029 Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU): AF-B-STEP :
    Quantifying Atrial Fibrillation Burden to inform Screening, Treatment, and hEalth Policy
    2026-2030     DZHK partner site project: Stratified therapy of arrhythmias and heart failure: Interactions of inherited and environmental factors
    2022-2024     NIHR Award “a pilot study to assess the safety, effectiveness and practical utility of remote patient monitoring to guide the timing of valve intervention in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis” (APRAISE-AS)
    2021-2026 EU Horizon - MAESTRIA : Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Early Detection Stoke Atrial Fibrillation
    2021-2025 DZHK partner site project: New biomarkers for atrial fibrillation: Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation
    2020-2024 EU Horizon 2020 - Digital, risk-based screening for atrial fibrillation in the european community (AFFECT-EU)
    2020-2021 SMART in OAC
    2019-2024 BHF research Excellence Accelerator
    2019-2022 Project grant BHF, to Brand UCL
    2019-2024 Center for Doctoral Training (CDT) in topological design
    2017-2020 FS/17/7/32651 Brain, Fabritz, Marshall. Non-clinical Studentship. Developing new, fluorescence-based techniques to study sympathetic nerve function within blood vessels and the heart
    2015-2019 European Union Horizon. Characterizing atrial fibrillation by translating its causes into health modifiers in the ealderly (CATCH ME)
    2013-2018 BHF. Understanding the function of Pitx2 in the adult left atrium

Publications

For the full list of publications, please visit PubMed and/or "Forschungsportal" (see link below)

Zurück
Vor

Director

Foto Prof. Dr. Larissa Fabritz

Prof. Dr. Larissa Fabritz

l.fabritz@uke.de

+49 (0) 40 7410 - 57980

Assistance

Foto Gabi Wettengel

Gabi Wettengel

Project Assistance

g.wettengel@uke.de

+49 (0) 40 7410 - 50640

Research

Prof. Dr. Dr. Marc Hirt

Prof. Dr. Dr. Marc Hirt

Assistant Professor of Pharmacology

m.hirt@uke.de

UCCS Fellow

Dr. Laura Sommerfeld

Dr. Laura Sommerfeld

Postdoc

la.sommerfeld@uke.de

+49 (0) 40 7410 - 50366

UCCS Fellow

Foto Dr. Vaishnavi Ameya Murukutla

Dr. Vaishnavi Ameya Murukutla

Project Management

v.murukutla@uke.de

+49 (0) 40 7410 - 50313

Hartwig Wieboldt

Hartwig Wieboldt

Research Lab Technician

h.wieboldt@uke.de

+49 (0) 40 7410 - 50959

Christoph Al-Taie

Data Scientist, PhD student

c.al-taie@uke.de

Foto Julius Ridder

Julius Ridder

PhD student

j.ridder@uke.de

Foto Ellen Thiemann

Ellen Thiemann

PhD student

e.thiemann@uke.de

Foto Silke van Elferen

Silke van Elferen

PhD student

S.van-Elferen@uke.de

Dr. Lisa Fortmüller

Veterinarian

l.fortmueller@uke.de

Benita Kröckel

Benita Kröckel

MD student

B.Kroeckel.ext@uke.de

Anas Alnashef

Anas Alnashef

MD student

anas.alnashef@stud.uke.uni-hamburg.de

Foto Kyra Lachmann

Kyra Lachmann

MD student

Kyra.Lachmann.ext@uke.de

Foto Sandro Jäckle

Sandro Jäckle

MD student

s.jaeckele.ext@uke.de

Foto Simon Haßkamp

Simon Haßkamp

MD student

simon.hasskamp@stud.uke.uni-hamburg.de

Daniel Stastny

MD student

daniel.stastny@stud.uke.uni-hamburg.de

Constantin Paulic

Constantin Paulic

MD student

constantin.paulic@stud.uke.uni-hamburg.de

Lukas von Hacht

Lukas von Hacht

MD student

L.von-Hacht@uke.de

Klara Steinbeck

Klara Steinbeck

Voluntary Year of Social Service in Science (FSJW)

K.Steinbeck.ext@uke.de

Felix Flath

Felix Flath, M. Sc.

Internship

F.Flath@uke.de

Richard Oppong

Richard Oppong

Bachelor student

Team Abroad

Dr. Laura Bravo

l.bravo@bham.ac.uk

Niall Dunne

n.j.dunne@bham.ac.uk

Areej Aljehani

AXA1388@student.bham.ac.uk

Alumni

Dr. Winnie Chua

Dr. Deborah Delbue

Dr. Paulina Sander

Dr. Muhammed Sönmez

  • Adresse Anfahrt
    How to reach us

    University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
    University Center of Cardiovascular Science (UCCS)
    Campus Forschung I, Building N27, 3rd floor
    Martinistr. 52
    20246 Hamburg / Germany