Research Focus

• Electrophysiology and molecular biology of renal and cardiac ion channels
• Channelopathies and regulation of ion channels by associated proteins
• Role of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension
• Dysfunction of cardiac ion channels in cardiac hypertrophy as a possible cause for arrhythmias

isolated rat cardiomyocyte

microdissected collecting duct from mouse kidney

The research focus of the institute is concerned with the study of renal and cardiac ion channels. This research area is of pathophysiological relevance, since an inappropriate regulation of renal and cardiac ion channels may play an important role for the development of arterial hypertension or may be the cause of cardiac arrhythmias, respectively.

At the institute modern molecular biological and cell physiological methods are being used as well as animal models. The aim of this integrated experimental approach is to investigate the complex interplay of physiological and pathophysiological processes and to understand the molecular basis of disease.

This new direction of the institute’s research fits very well into the broader context of research activities at Erlangen known to have a strong renal and cardiovascular research focus as evidenced e.g. by the ‚DFG Sonderforschungsbereich 423‘ entiteled ‚Kidney pathology: Pathogenesis and regenerative mechanisms‘ and the clinical research group (KFG 106) ‚End organ damage in arterial hypertension‘.

Research Groups

Renal epithelial ion channels (Research group of Prof. Korbmacher)

Cardiac ion channels (Research group of Prof. Volk)