Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a progressive, life-threatening disease with poor outcomes. There is an urgent need for robust biomarkers and therapeutic targets to enable earlier detection, personalized treatment, and improved outcomes. We use a translational approach integrating preclinical and clinical research. The aim is to identify molecular and imaging biomarkers that predict PAH development, progression, and severity, and translate these findings into clinical practice.
Using advanced imaging techniques in animal models of PAH, we observe strain- and sex-dependent differences, revealing molecular mechanisms underlying disease susceptibility or resistance. Also, we perform multi-omics analyses to identify molecular signatures associated with disease severity. For clinical relevance, we analyze blood samples and imaging data from PAH patients in the Giessen Biobank, where imaging and omics profiling have highlighted promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
To validate and extend our findings, we propose to leverage the extensive resources of the UK Biobank. Specifically, we aim to: Identify UK Biobank participants with PAH or related phenotypes, using clinical data, imaging records, and molecular profiles to define relevant subgroups. Perform comparative analyses of multi-omics data between the UK Biobank and Giessen cohorts to identify conserved molecular signatures and pathways associated with PAH susceptibility and resistance. Assess the translational relevance of our animal model findings by correlating preclinically identified imaging and molecular biomarkers with clinical outcomes in human cohorts.
The research is designed to bridge the gap between experimental models and human disease, enabling a robust pipeline for biomarker discovery and therapeutic innovation in PAH. Ultimately, this work will support precision medicine approaches in PAH and could serve as a model for translational research in other complex cardiovascular disease.
