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 Zafeiriou Group

PhD Student

Angeliki Koufali

 Angeliki Koufali

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PhD Student

Kea Schmoll

 Kea Schmoll

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PhD Student

Lennart Schneider

 Lennart Schneider

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PhD Student

Marie-Kristin Schreiber

 Marie-Kristin Schreiber

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MD Student

Nina Rubik

 Nina Rubik

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MD Student

Malo Lukas Wurst

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MSc Student

Anna Celine Westhoff

 Anna Celine Westhoff

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Technical Assistant

Davide Ibatici, MSc

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PhD Student

Michael Gani Setya

 Michael Gani Setya

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Alumni

  • Ahmed Alameldeen
  • Alica Blenkle
  • Bastian Bues
  • Luveysa Fahud
  • Sophie Gobeil
  • Anika Müller
  • Franziska Rathjens
  • Timothy Pok-Man Tse
  • Petra Tucholla

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