General Information

Video

rebirth Unit 11 - JRG Regenerative Agents

Objectives

Arterial blood vessels are essential for the maintenance and regeneration of organs, but the formation of new arteries in adults occurs only infrequently and the sequalae of chronic ischemic disease are a leading cause of death worldwide. We are studying the specific mechanisms of arterial differentiation and growth to identify potential targets for endogenous arterial regeneration.

Research Focus

How arteries regenerate after injury is a fundamental question. Specialized circulating cell populations play an important role in ischemic regeneration and are thus attractive agents for regenerative therapy. However, their definitive identity is still elusive and the question of whether regeneration occurs from differentiating progenitor cells or from mature vessels remains unanswered. We have identified a specialized cell population that promotes arterial regeneration and protects ischemic tissue by enhancing the regenerative potential of mature vessels and muscle. We are now studying the signalling pathways that control differentiation and function of these cells, as well as the nature of their regenerative potential and the mechanisms of interaction with ischemic arteries and tissues.

Collaborations

• A. Schambach, T. Cantz, Hannover Medical School, REBIRTH, characterization of resident stem cell populations in skin
• R. Adams, Max Planck Institute for Moleculare Biomedicine, Münster, genetic lineage tracing

Further Research Projects

• Research projects on arterial differentiation within the DFG-clinical research group

Awards

• A. Limbourg, Rudolf Thauer Poster Award German Society of Cardiology, (2007) 
• L. C. Napp, American Heart Association Merit Award for Young Investigators, (2007) 
• L. C. Napp, Rudi Busse Young Investigator Award for experimental cardiology (2009)

Teaching

• Clinical courses and lectures for medical students (Internal Medicine)
• Seminars for Ph.D. programme Regenerative Sciences

Equipment and Service Facilities

[Please find a list of all available equipment here]

Publications

[Please find the publications of this workgroup here]

Further Information

www.mh-hannover.de/10211.html

Staff