Brandenburg an der Havel, 16 October 2020

Monique Jänsch, research assistant of MHB professor Oliver Ritter (clinical director cardiology/nephrology/pneumology at the Brandenburg Municipal Hospital) receives Rudi Busse Young Investigator Award for experimental cardiovascular research.

Monique Jänsch describes her project as follows: “Cardiac arrythmias are among the most common heart diseases and are frequently caused by so called ion channel disorders, with an increasing tendency. In our project we studied a protein called NOS1AP; it has a demonstrable influence on cardiac rhythm and the so called QT interval which provides information on electrical properties and state of the heart. Changes in the QI interval e.g. can contribute to palpitations and in the worst case may lead to sudden cardiac death. Our project is intended to develop innovative therapies for cardiac arrythmias.”

Monique Jänsch describes her project as follows: “Cardiac arrythmias are among the most common heart diseases and are frequently caused by so called ion channel disorders, with an increasing tendency. In our project we studied a protein called NOS1AP; it has a demonstrable influence on cardiac rhythm and the so called QT interval which provides information on electrical properties and state of the heart. Changes in the QI interval e.g. can contribute to palpitations and in the worst case may lead to sudden cardiac death. Our project is intended to develop innovative therapies for cardiac arrythmias.”

As a rule, the nominated candidates give their presentations at the annual meeting in Mannheim. Due to the Corona pandemic, this year’s event was conducted online, in combination with the Berlin Heart Days.

Second-place winners in 2020 are Monique Jänsch (Brandenburg an der Havel), J. Wagner (Frankfurt am Main) and L. Kalfhues (Düsseldorf). Jänsch felt very honoured to be selected and to present her project to an expert audience: “All topics were really interesting and were well presented. My thanks go to Prof. Ritter for the chance to continue this comprehensive project and also for his continuing trust and backing. I am grateful to the MHB for this opportunity to conduct research and am looking forward to further support in this field.”

First place went to Philipp Bengel (Göttingen) who presented his project entitled “Proarrhythmic interaction of NaV1.8 and Ca2+/Calmodulin dependent protein-kinase II as an antiarrhythmic target in heart failure” with success.

The name of the award refers to Prof. Dr. Rudi Franz Eckart Busse (1943 – 2007), one of Germany’s most outstanding cardiovascular physiologists at national and international level.