Experimental nutritional medicine

Diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy
As the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its complications, such as diabetic nephropathy, rises in the western industrial nations, the severe consequences become more and more present: Diabetic nephropathy is accountable for one third of all patients who require regular dialysis – with upward trend. Another important risk factor is hypertension. Thus, we test new drug classes in experiments with rats and mice.

Mainly, we use the hyperglycaemia model induced by streptozotocin and hypertension models induced either by renal arterial stenosis by surgery or by genetical knock out of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS knock out). We also combine the models to simulate the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy as close as possible. Analyzing all common renal and cardiovascular biomarkers in plasma and urine and research by histological and immunohistological evaluation of kidneys, hearts and further vital organs help us to understand the underlying mechanisms of this renal disease. Results are compared with already established treatment regimes such as AT2 receptor blockers or ACE inhibitors.

Biomarker Research
A second key research topic is the development of biomarkers for cardiac and renal diseases. We are using here genetic and proteomic approaches as well as classical hypothesis driven analysis of predefined biomarkers.

For more details see also here.

• Design and implementation of animal studies for the development of new pharmacological approaches in cardiology and nephrology
• Clinical biomarker studies