Research focus

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Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit a massively increased risk for cardiovascular events: 50% of patients with CKD stage 4-5 suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cardiovascular mortality accounts for ~40-50% of all deaths in patients with CKD stage 4 as well as patients with end-stage renal disease, compared with 26% in controls with normal kidney function. In addition to the high risk for fatal atherosclerosis-related complications such as ischemic heart disease and stroke, cardiac deaths also result from heart failure and arrhythmias. In more than 70 studies in non-dialyzed subjects with CKD, correction for classical and even less classical cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, did not neutralize the impact of CKD on cardiovascular risk.

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The underlying pathophysiological processes of CVD in CKD patients obviously differ from the CVD processes in the general population. This underlines the importance of non-traditional, CKD-specific cardiovascular risk factors and accentuates that CKD itself is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. This may explain at least in part why traditional strategies to improve cardiovascular outcome have largely failed in the context of CKD. This also emphasizes the need to identify pathological mechanisms adversely affecting the cardiovascular system in CKD, with the aim to reduce the increased cardiovascular mortality in CKD patients through novel therapeutic strategies.

The aim of this Transregional Collaborative Research Center TRR219 is to analyze in experimental and clinical studies the multi-factorial aspects of CKD-related cardiovascular morbidity and mortality caused by alterations in the circulation and the myocardium. In addition to examining pathological mechanisms affecting the cardiovascular system in CKD at the basic science level, we will also study the translational aspects by analyzing novel interventions and diagnostic tests in the context of CKD-related cardiovascular pathology.  

Alterations in the circulation as well as in the myocardium crucially contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk in patients with CKD.

Statutory bodies of the Collaborative Research Center

Vice spokesperson (Homburg)

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Danilo Fliser

Saarland University – Campus Homburg

Internal Medicine IV – Nephrology

Kirrberger Straße

66421 Homburg/Saar

Phone: +49-6841-1623526

E-Mail:

Spokesperson (Aachen)

Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Joachim Jankowski

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Institute for Molecular

Cardiovascular Research

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8080580

E-Mail:

Managing Director

Heidi Noels, PhD, PD
University Hospital RWTH Aachen
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research
Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Phone: +49-241-8037147
E-mail: hnoels@ukaachen.de

Executive Board

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 Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Danilo Fliser

Saarland University - Campus Homburg

Internal Medicine IV – Nephrology

Kirrberger Straße, 66421 Homburg/Saar

Phone: +49-6841-1623526

E-mail:

Univ.‐Prof. Dr. med. Michael Böhm

Saarland University – Campus Homburg

Internal Medicine III – Cardiology

Kirrberger Straße, 66421 Homburg/Saar

Phone: +49-06841-1615031

E-mail:

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Univ.‐Prof. Dr. med. Jürgen Floege

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Medical Clinic II - Nephrology

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8089530

E-mail:

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Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Nikolaus Marx

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Medical Clinic I – Cardiology

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8089300

E-mail:

 Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Joachim Jankowski

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8080580

E-mail:

Heidi Noels, PhD, PD

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8037147

E-mail:

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Head of IRTG

Coordinator 

Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Joachim Jankowski

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8080580

​E-mail:

IRTG Coordinator (Homburg) 

Univ.- Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Barbara Niemeyer

Saarland University – Campus Homburg

Molecular Biophysics

Kirrberger Straße, 66421 Homburg

Phone: +49-6841-1616304

​E-mail:

IRTG Coordinator (Aachen)

PD Dr. rer. nat. Claudia Goettsch

University Hospital RWTH Aachen

Medical Clinic I - Cardiology

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

Phone: +49-241-8037312

E-mail:

Jobs

For PhD students we offer:

- Enrolment in a PhD graduate school as integral part of our SFB/TRR219 Consortium as well as within the local PhD programs at the respective universities, offering an intensive and dedicated PhD training program

-  A highly dynamic research environment in an interdisciplinary clinical and basic research setting with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment

-  Intensive cooperations within the SFB/TRR219 Consortium

Interested candidates should send their application including a current curriculum vitae, motivation letter, academic transcripts, 3 recommendation letters and indication of projects of preference by February 12th, 2018 to to the attention of Prof. Joachim Jankowski.

The RWTH Aachen University and Saarland University are certified as family-friendly universities. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from women, disabled people and ethnic minority groups, recognizing they are underrepresented across our Universities. The principles of fair and open competition apply.

We are specifically welcoming students for a bachelor and master thesis in our consortium. Also medical students are highly welcome to join our consortium for a medical dissertation (Dr. med.). An option for financial support may be available.

Interested candidates can contact the project leader of the projects of interest by email for more information and for sending their application including curriculum vitae, motivation letter and academic transcripts.