Lars Maegdefessel

Project summary

Non-coding RNA in cardiovascular disease

Lars Maegdefessel’s research aims to develop new strategies for detecting and treating cardiovascular disease. He uses new knowledge about non-coding RNA to understand how these diseases develop, with a particular focus on narrowing of the carotid artery and aortic aneurysms.

 

Our work aims to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to limit the progression and consequences of cardiovascular disease in general, and carotid artery stenosis – a major cause of stroke – and aortic aneurysms in particular.

 

Non-coding RNAs with so-called antisense activity have recently attracted considerable attention because of their ability to downregulate gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. The most extensively studied class of non-coding RNA to date is microRNA. MicroRNAs are thought to fine-tune the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) by either promoting mRNA degradation or inhibiting its translation into protein.

 

The research project focuses on manipulating the expression of non-coding RNAs and investigating how this affects disease development. It also explores their potential in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, with the aim of critically assessing future therapeutic strategies in terms of their clinical and translational feasibility.