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News & Events
As a third-year PhD student, Anita-Koula Pralas was excited to share the progress of her research project at the annual Hannover Biomedical Research School (HBRS) Retreat of the MD/PhD programm Molecular Medicine. The presentation sparked high interest and led to many insightful questions regarding the FIBREX project. This retreat provided a valuable opportunity to connect with peers, exchange ideas, receive feedback, and contribute to the broader academic community.
Prof. Thomas Thum discussed drug development of noncoding RNAs including that of MEG3, an important regulator of organ fibrosis. He focused on the importance of team building, IP situations and drug development networks for fast achievement of a clinical readiness status of novel drug targets
Myocardial fibrosis is a frequent pathological complication in heart transplant recipients which is associated with poor allograft survival. At the Organ Transplant Summit, Prof. Christian Bär highlighted the therapeutic potential of harnessing ncRNAs, such as microRNA-21 and lncRNA Meg3, for the prevention of fibrosis in transplanted hearts.
The FIBREX project was recently presented at the “DGK Herztage 2024” in Hamburg. Our team had the opportunity to showcase a poster highlighting the latest findings and progress of our research. The event provided valuable insights and fostered meaningful exchanges with leading experts in cardiology. It was an excellent platform for discussing the future of heart disease research and exploring potential collaborations. We are excited about the opportunities that arose from this event and look forward to continuing our work in the field.
We are thrilled to announce our continued participation in the 90th annual conference of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie – Herz- und Kreislaufforschung e.V. (DGK) in Mannheim. Building on the success of last year, this year’s event again celebrated remarkable advancements in cardiology and offered a dynamic platform for learning and collaboration. The FIBREX team made a notable impact with an outstanding presentation by Prof. Thomas Thum on the role of long non-coding RNAs as innovative targets for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis, while Prof. Christian Bär discussed the pioneering role of Germany for the clinical translation of non-coding RNA targets in heart failure. This important topic gained further recognition when IMTTS scientist Anita-Koula Pralas was awarded the prestigious poster prize for her poster titled "The Role of the lncRNA MEG3 in Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Unloading."
During the annual Retreat of the MD/PhD program Molecular Medicine, the second year PhD student Anita-Koula Pralas received the Poster Prize for her presentation on her research on "The Role of the lncRNA MEG3 in Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Unloading."
Congratulations to Anita-Koula Pralas on this achievement. We look forward to her continued progress in the program.
It was a great experience to participate in the 5th Life Science Start-up Day, held this year in Göttingen. We are thrilled about this vibrant networking event offering numerous opportunities to connect with various pharmaceutical companies and to gain insights form young start-ups showcasting their ideas through elevator pitches. The interactive break-out session, ‘Startup Journey’, hosted by Life Science Factory, was highly informative and inspiring.
Prof. Thomas Thum joined recently the global Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists (CVCT) Forum in Washington DC and gave a talk within the session "What clinical trialsists can learn from biotech entrepreneurs". The session was attended by >100 specialists from pharma industry and university professors. Specifically, Prof. Thum also addressed the FIBREX project mentioning RNA therapeutics to combat cardiac remodelling.
As the biennial joint meeting of the ESC Working Groups on Cellular Biology of the Heart & Myocardial Function 2023 (CBFH) represents one of the most important events in the field of cardiovascular research, our FIBREX team was delighted to participate and contribute through oral and poster presentations. The impact of the non-coding genome on cardiovascular disease was the subject of excellent presentations and discussions by Prof. Thomas Thum and Prof. Christian Bär. Dr. Anne Bührke presented an exceptional poster emphasizing the significance of our FIBREX project and discussed the latest results with experts in the field.
In general, the meeting featured presentations and discussions on cutting-edge research, clinical trials, and therapeutic developments and brought together leading researchers, clinicians, and industry representatives to discuss the latest advances in the field of cardiac cellular biology and myocardial function. Furthermore, the attendance of pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms emphasized the significance of industry collaborations in promoting innovation and translating scientific discoveries into impactful clinical treatments. Thus, the conference served as a valuable opportunity for networking and collaboration between the scientific community and biotech firms in the cardiovascular research sector. Overall, this meeting served as an excellent platform for the dissemination of knowledge and enhancing the advancement of cardiovascular research.
Copyright Anne Bührke
IMTTS scientists Dr. Anne Bührke and Anita Pralas proudly represented our FIBREX Team at the ESGCT in Brussels. As the ESGCT is a leading organization in the field of gene and cell therapy, we were excited to join this prestigious event and contribute to the exchange of knowledge and advancements in this rapidly evolving field. The conference brought together experts from various fields of study and demonstrated the translation of innovative research into clinical applications. It included many inspiring talks and panel discussions, which led to an overall fascinating experience. Especially during the Symposium from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Cell and Gene Therapy community, we gained a lot of new insights and perspectives.
Copyright Anita Pralas
Prof. Thum recently visited the American Heart Associations meeting and met with many stakeholders from Industry to discuss the advent of RNA therapeutics including the FIBREX project.
We are excited to announce that we have participated at the annual conference of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie – Herz- und Kreislaufforschung e.V. (DGK) in Mannheim. This prestigious event brought together leading experts, researchers, and professionals in the field of cardiology providing a platform for knowledge exchange, and discussion of the latest advancements and the most pressing issues in the field. The conference featured a diverse and engaging program including keynote lectures, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. IMTTS scientist Anita Pralas who is supporting the FIBREX Team presented the work of Dr. Anne Bührke in a poster session, which was nominated for the DGK poster award. Besides this, we had the opportunity to gain insight into current development pipelines of big pharma during several industry sponsored sessions, as well as to discuss their positions regarding the potential of non-coding RNA therapeutics for the treatment of CVD. Overall, our visit to the DGK 2023 in Mannheim was both enriching and rewarding.
The FIBREX team attended the HFA Winter Meeting in Les Diablerets, where they contributed with several talks that received excellent feedback.
Anita has successfully completed her Master thesis, focusing on the long noncoding RNA MEG3, and will now support the FIBREX team as part of her PhD research.
At the annual Retreat of the MD/PhD program Molecular Medicine, the first year PhD student Anita-Koula Pralas presented the objectives and methodologies of the innovative EIC-funded project FIBREX, engaging their peers in a thoughtful discussion.
The FIBREX Team shared their latest research findings in the 2022Symposium of the Clinical Research Unit (KFO311) on advanced cardiac failure, mechanical unloading and repair. It was a valuable opportunity to engage with experts and contribute to discussions on advancements in cardiology.