15:15
Jolanda van der Velden: “Sarcomeric dysfunction in cardiac disease”
Associate Professor of Physiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
A main aim of the research group of van der Velden is understanding the molecular pathophysiology of cardiomyopathies, involving identification of (post)-translational modifications of sarcomeric proteins involved in cardiac contractility, e.g. by phosphorylation. The group has optimized techniques to perform functional measurements in single human cardiomyocytes isolated from small cardiac tissue samples obtained during cardiac surgery. In addition, gel analysis methods have been developed to investigate the (phospho)proteome of the myofilaments. Functional effects of differentially phosphorylated troponins are investigated using troponin exchange in human cardiomyocytes.
16:15
Metin Avkiran: "Protein kinase D targets in the heart: myofilaments and beyond”
Professor of Molecular Cardiology, King's College, London
Professor Avkiran's research interests focus on the molecular signalling mechanisms that underlie cardiac injury and dysfunction (e.g. arrhythmias, contractile failure, infarction) in disease, and the development and evaluation of novel interventions for the inhibition and/or reversal of such injury and dysfunction. A recent focus has been the role of protein kinase D in the heart.