Our research laboratory focuses primarily on basic research projects relating to the heart. In our facilities at the Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, we use state-of-the-art methods and equipment to address issues relating primarily to the pathophysiology of various heart diseases. Our close contact with the clinic enables us to process fresh tissue samples immediately after they have been taken in the operating room. Our range of methods includes the preparation and analysis of paraffin and cryopreparations, the extraction of RNA and its quantitative determination, as well as protein analyses by performing Western blots and ELISAs. In addition, we examine molecular mechanisms in primary cardiomyocytes and ventricular cell lines in cell culture experiments.