About Us

Our research focuses on the mechanisms orchestrating electrically excitable cell network function and connectivity.

With a special interest in the communication between brain and heart, we investigate how common channelopathies can lead to network imbalance in both organs and how miscommunication due to autonomic dysregulation can lead to cardiac dysfunction.

To investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, infantile epilepsy and sudden cardiac death, we employ human tissue engineering, genome editing and induced pluripotent stem cell technologies. Bioengineered neuronal organoids representing specific regions of the central (cortex, medial ganglionic eminence, midbrain) and peripheral (spinal motor neurons, autonomic neurons) nervous system are some of the human in vitro models we established and utilize to investigate neuron-neuron and neuron-cardiomyocyte cross-talk.

Available for research student supervision? Yes.

Principal Investigator Maria-Patapia Zafeiriou, PhD
 Maria-Patapia Zafeiriou, PhD

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Members AG Zafeiriou

Postdoctoral researchers

Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. rer. nat. Marie-Kristin Schreiber

Dr. rer. nat. Marie-Kristin Schreiber

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Postdoctoral researcher

Dr. rer. nat. Angeliki Koufali

Dr. rer. nat. Angeliki Koufali

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Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. rer. nat. Kea Schmoll

Dr. rer. nat. Kea Schmoll

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PhD Students

PhD Student

Aylin Seedorf, M.Sc.

 Aylin Seedorf, M.Sc.

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PhD Student

Archisha Ganguly, M.Sc.

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PhD Student

Michael Gani Setya, M.Sc.

 Michael Gani Setya, M.Sc.

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MD Students

MD Student

Malo Lukas Wurst

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MD Student

Julia Maiwald

 Julia Maiwald

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Research assistants

Maham Novin, M.Sc.

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Leonie Kadel, M.Sc.

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Elissavet Kanari, M.Sc.

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Associated Clinician Scientists

Fachärztin

Dr. med. Merete Hartmann

Dr. med. Merete Hartmann

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Facharzt

Dr. med. Simon Badura

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Alumni

  • Ahmed Alameldeen
  • Alica Blenkle
  • Bastian Bues
  • Luveysa Fahud
  • Sophie Gobeil
  • Davide Ibatici, MSc
  • Nina Rubick, Dr. med.
  • Anika Müller
  • Franziska Rathjens
  • Timothy Pok-Man Tse
  • Lennart Schneider, PhD
  • Petra Tucholla
  • Anna Celine Westhoff, MSc

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