Lecture and research topics of the 3-year curriculum: Depriving an organ of its blood supply is a critical factor in the clinical outcome of myocardial infarction, stroke, organ transplantation and various kinds of shock. In this context, ischaemia-reperfusion injury (due to insufficient perfusion and/or due to reperfusion of a previously ischaemic tissue) plays a decisive role and is a fundamental topic to two of the declared core themes of the University Hospital Essen, the cardiovascular system and transplantation.

The course introduces young scientists to the mechanisms and consequences of cell and tissue injury during ischaemia-reperfusion of various organs including heart, brain, intestine, liver, kidney and muscle. Furthermore, the fortnightly lectures focus on regenerating processes following ischaemia-reperfusion injury such as angiogenesis, and protective/therapeutic measures such as pre- and post-conditioning and pharmacological treatment. In addition to these lectures, the graduates on the course have the opportunity to present and discuss the results of their own experimental work, thus enhancing/strengthening their presentation skills and the development of their own scientific projects. The current research topics within the core cover a wide range of projects combining clinical, translational and experimental studies, e.g., atrial Ca2+ handling abnormalities in patients with heart failure/disease (clinical), projects on artificial oxygen carrier for intravenous application (translational), or the malnutrition effects on stroke injury and recovery in rodents (experimental).

Coordinators: