UKE - UCCS - Research Group Schinner

Research Group Schinner

Name: Prof. Dr. med. Camilla Schinner
Department/Center/Institute: Institute for Anatomy and Experimental Morphology
Email: c.schinner@uke.de
Phone: +49 (0) 40 7410 - 57791

Research Focus and Main research questions

In the Schinner lab, our primary objective is to comprehend the factors that underlie the development of genetic cardiomyopathies, specifically focusing on Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy (ACM).
Through a series of targeted disease model systems that span from cell culture approaches to in vivo models, we strive to elucidate how mutations can result in arrhythmias, scaring of the heart, and eventual sudden cardiac death. Our research delves into the early processes leading to the pathological phenotype and assesses the therapeutic potential of protective and regenerative mechanisms.

Research Projects

Our lab addresses the various stages of the pathological cascade by:

Integrating cardiac functional data with spatio-temporal expression patterns to identify causative and predictive factors in the development of arrhythmias and cardiac fibrosis.
Examining the role of specific cell subtypes present in the diseased heart and their potential modulation of the progression of the cardiomyopathy phenotype.
Assessing the therapeutic potential of compounds that restore defective cell-cell adhesion, building on recent findings highlighting the central role of disrupted intercellular adhesive function in the pathogenesis of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy ( Schinner et al, Circulation, 2022 ).
Establishment of new in vitro model systems to mimic the disease phenotype in engineered heart tissue.

Methods
Publications
Recent Funding

Methods
We apply a broad range of methods to investigate various in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo ACM models. We study these models during disease development with respect to:
- Expression patterns using transcriptomics (spatial transcriptomics, single nuclei/single cell RNA sequencing), proteomics (total and phospho-proteome), and other biomolecular methods.
- Structural changes using histological analyses, fluorescence-based imaging, and electron microscopy.
- Functional changes using in vivo cardiac function analysis (echocardiography, ECG) and others such as adhesion assays (low- and high-throughput).

Publications

Please visit PubMed

Recent Funding

Prof. Schinner is funded by the Heike und Wolfgang Mühlbauer Foundation.
2024-2029 SNSF Starting Grant – “ACTT - Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: Investigation of new mechanisms and therapeutic targets”
2023-2024 Novartis Foundation for Biomedical Research and Olga Mayenfisch Stiftung “Investigation of pro-adhesive compounds as novel approach to treat Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy”
2022-2023 Swiss Heart Foundation – “Targeting ITGB6/TGFβ signaling in Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy mouse models”