Time: 25th February 2025, 10:00-12:00
Venue: E228
Host: CAI Chenleng
Speaker: Prof. Thomas Braun
Member of German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
Member of Academia Europea, the Academy of Europe
Thomas Braun is a German physician and philosopher. He is engaged in the development and remodeling of the heart. One of the main focuses of his research is the molecular basis of the development and emergence of heart diseases, as well as the regeneration and repair processes of the heart. In this context, he is interested in the mechanisms that lead to the restoration of complex structures, body parts, or even organs.
His research is determined by two strategies: On the one hand, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of the processes that lead to the growth and proliferation of organ-specific progenitor cells. On the other hand, the coordinated differentiation of these cells during the development and regeneration of organs should be elucidated. In addition, Braun is dedicated to the development of preclinical models, with the help of which the generated knowledge can be used to understand and manipulate pathological remodeling processes in tissues. Through these research efforts, a better understanding of the regeneration of cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue is expected.
Braun and his research group attempt to identify the processes that play a role in the development of contractile tissues. In addition, he characterizes the individual factors involved in the regulation of the growth and differentiation of muscle cells. It is of interest that many processes involved in the embryonic development of skeletal and cardiac muscle are reactivated during repair processes. Therefore, the understanding of these developmental processes simultaneously increases the knowledge of the processes that occur during tissue remodeling.
Since the emergence of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), Thomas Braun has been involved in research on this topic. Members of the Excellence Cluster "Cardio Pulmonary Institute" (CPI) are researching the courses of COVID-19 and its relation to heart and lung diseases. They are asking whether SARS-CoV-2 directly attacks the heart and blood vessels, how the host cell responds to the infection, and they want to clarify how lung damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 can be prevented.