Inflammatory heart disease and heart failure

Myocarditis is often caused by cardiotropic viruses and is a common cause of sudden cardiac death in young adults. In addition, persistent inflammation of the heart can lead to cardiac dysfunction and terminal heart failure. Our group is particularly interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms that initiate and maintain cardiac inflammation. In this context, we were able to identify the cytokine midkine and neutrophil extracellular traps - a defense mechanism of neutrophil granulocytes against pathogens - as crucial mediators of cardiac inflammation in myocarditis. To investigate the clinical relevance of our results, we combine basic science approaches with translational studies.