The Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS) was founded in 2009 at the Hannover Medical School by Prof. Thomas Thum. A main group’s focus is the development of RNA-based therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular medicine. Currently we particularly focus on the regeneration as well as treatment of injured organs by use of genetic and pharmacological RNA manipulation with a strong focus on noncoding RNAs, such as microRNAs, long-noncoding RNAs and circular RNAs (e.g. Nature, 2008; Nature Comm 2012; Science Transl Med 2016; Circ Res 2017).

The Institute is also interested to develop companion diagnostic approaches in cardiovascular diseased patients and is firmly integrated into European and International Networks. RNA drug development pipelines have been set up including high-throughput technologies such as RNA profiling, functional profiling strategies, indicative tox and PK studies, safety and efficacy studies in small and large animals. IMTTS also works closely together with the Hannover Clinical Research Center (CRC; https://www.crc-hannover.com/), the Fraunhofer ITEM (https://www.item.fraunhofer.de/en.html) and many other national and international Universities, biotech companies and larger pharmaceutical industries. A recent spin-off of IMTTS is Cardior Pharmaceuticals GmbH (www.cardior.de), that had licensed IMTTS technology to develop innovative ncRNA-based treatment strategies and to perform first clinical trials in cardiovascular patients.

 

Research Groups: