Detail

Keywords

Aortic Aneurysm; Cardiovascular Diseases; Myocardial Infarction; Tissue Engineering

Research group(s)

• Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory
  Head: Barbara Messner
  Research Area: The work group seeks to understand and ,
  Members:
  Barbara Messner

Research interests

Our main research focus is to understand – and based on this understanding to prevent and treat different Cardiovascular Diseases as for example the development of ascending aortic aneurysms. The approach chosen is a multi-disciplinary and application-oriented research strategy. The team seeks to establish and strengthen a network to achieve its research goals. Cooperations with analytical and synthetic chemistry groups, pharmacological groups, bio-medical research laboratories, and in vivo analyses are central to most projects. The know-how and methods of the team range from molecular biology, via cell biology, animal experimentation and histological analyses to human studies.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

• Cell culture and isolation of primary cells from vascular tissues
• Western Blot
• ELISA
• Flow cytometry
• Immunohistochemistry/Immunofluorescence stainings
• Functional cell assays

Grants

• New analysis approach to uncover the pathogenesis of ascending aortic aneurysms: comparison of protein expression patterns of isolated smooth muscle cells (2016)
  Source of Funding: B. Braun-Stiftung, Medizinische Wissenschaften
  Principal Investigator
• Prevention and Treatment of Early Atherosclerosis: In Vitro Based Search for New Drugs (2011)
  Source of Funding: OeNB (Oesterreichische Nationalbank), Anniversary Funds
  Principal Investigator

Selected publications

1. Scharinger, B. et al., 2016. Leoligin, the major lignan from Edelweiss, inhibits 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase and reduces cholesterol levels in ApoE −/− mice. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 99, pp.35–46. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2016.08.003.
2. Messner, B. et al., 2015. Cadmium overkill: autophagy, apoptosis and necrosis signalling in endothelial cells exposed to cadmium. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 73(8), pp.1699-1713. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00018-015-2094-9.
3. Türkcan, A. et al., 2015. Combination of Cadmium and High Cholesterol Levels as a Risk Factor for Heart Fibrosis. Toxicological Sciences, 145(2), pp.360-371. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfv057.
4. Messner, B. et al., 2012. Apoptosis and necrosis: two different outcomes of cigarette smoke condensate-induced endothelial cell death. Cell Death and Disease, 3(11), p.e424. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/cddis.2012.162.
5. Messner, B. et al., 2009. Cadmium Is a Novel and Independent Risk Factor for Early Atherosclerosis Mechanisms and In Vivo Relevance. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 29(9), pp.1392-1398. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.109.190082.