Detail

Keywords

Atherosclerosis; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; Neutrophil Activation; Pulmonary Artery

Research group(s)

• Research group Irene Lang
  Members:
  Thomas M Hofbauer
  Anna S. Ondracek
  Adelheid Panzenböck

Research interests

Our group specializes in elucidating the role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), an effector mechanism of neutrophil granulocytes, in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (especially acute and chronic coronary syndromes and pulmonary hypertension). Apart from this more translational work, I am currently focus on patient care in the outpatient clinics for pulmonary (arterial) hypertension of our department.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

Bench

Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell culture-based functional assays, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Translational aspects

Connection of experimental and laboratory measurements with clinical features and mortality of affected patients.

Selected publications

1. Hofbauer, T.M. et al. (2026) “Impaired extracellular DNA clearance is associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation and mortality after cardiac surgery,” Heart Rhythm [Preprint]. Edited by . Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.07.027.
2. Hofbauer, T.M. et al. (2021) “Deoxyribonuclease 1 Q222R single nucleotide polymorphism and long-term mortality after acute myocardial infarction,” Basic Research in Cardiology. Edited by , 116(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-021-00864-w.
3. Ondracek, A.S. et al. (2024) “Malondialdehyde-specific natural IgM inhibit NETosis triggered by culprit site–derived extracellular vesicles from myocardial infarction patients,” European Heart Journal. Edited by , 46(10), pp. 926–939. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae584.
4. Ondracek, A.S. et al. (2020) “Imbalance between plasma double-stranded DNA and deoxyribonuclease activity predicts mortality after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,” Resuscitation. Edited by , 151, pp. 26–32. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2020.03.006.
5. Hofbauer, T.M. et al. (2019) “Neutrophil extracellular traps and fibrocytes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction,” Basic Research in Cardiology. Edited by , 114(5). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-019-0740-3.