Project

A Microelectronics-based in-Vitro Platform for Testing Major Arrhythmic Events in the Rare Cardiac Disease ARVC/D

Short Summary

This project is about developing an in vitro model of the arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) disease by using patient-derived tissue. We will characterize the electrophysiological activity of various ARVC mutation types using high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs) to extract characteristic cardiac signatures and disease biomarkers. The use of HD-MEAs is pivotal as cell-to-cell communication and electrical-signal propagation need to be assessed. Moreover, we will develop an analytics pipeline to extract those cardiac signatures from large-volume electrical recordings.

Goals

The core objective of this grant is to develop an in vitro model of the arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) disease. This model will be electrophysiologically characterized by high-density microelectrode arrays and validated by comparion with clinical results.

Significance

Political efforts and regulatory aspects in the EU and US indicate that improved in vitro human microtissue-based systems are needed. Due to their increased predictive capacities, in-vitro systems as proposed here will be applicable to research and development in pharmaceutical industry.

Background

Arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) is a rare disease, affecting 1:5000 patients in the general population. As ARVC/D causes sudden death, diagnosis is often only post-mortem. Currently, ARVC/D treatment is limited to a symptomatic approach with a combination of beta-blockers to stabilize the heart rhythm and an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator to prevent sudden cardiac death.

Publications

Patents / Startups

Publications

Patents / Startups

iDoc

Co-Investigators

Firat Duru

Consortium

Status

In Progress

2nd Call, iDoc