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Researcher

Hein HEIDBUCHEL

  • Research Expertise  (University of Antwerp):- Clinical evaluation of treatment modalities for heart rhythm disorders, both pharmacologically as by devices or ablation (catheter techniques). - Study of the mechanism of development of atrial fibrillation, mainly looking into inflammatory and fibrogenetic pathways, and the effect of anti-fibrogenetic interventions (specifically the neureguline/Erb4 pathway), both in humans, a big animal model (pigs with induced AF), and a small animal model (mice). - Studies on anticoagulation management of patients with atrial fibrillation. - Individualised patient and family management for cardiogenetic conditions, including individualised in vitro expression of mutations and characterisation of phenotypic expression in standard cell lines or in induced pluripotent stem cells with cardiomyocytic differentiation (iPSC-CM) - Individualised ablation approach for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, based on novel mapping and ablation strategies, combining both substrate and functional measures (like fibrosis mapping + rotor mapping). - Evaluation of the specificity and sensitivity of systematic screening for obstructive sleep apnea in AF patients by means of different devices for (cardio-)respiratory polygraphy (which can be used in an ambulatory setting). - Innovative care pathways for optimised care for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) through the setup of a multidisciplinary AF clinic, studying the impact of different closed loop pathways (e.g. tailored education; e.g. mHealth education; e.g. PROM assessment; e.g. adherence tele monitoring for NOAC patients; …) - Sports cardiology research, focusing both on younger athletes (e.g. epigenetics of ARVC; creation of a EU registry on athletes with LV scarring; e.g. characterisation of arrhythmia subforms in athletes) and master athletes (e.g. long-term changes in the sports heart; e.g. prevalence of subclinical coronary atheromathosis and peripheral vascular dysfunction) - An animal model (in mice) of post-myocarditis scarring in the LV, and the effects of sports on arrhythmogenic remodelling.
  • Keywords  (University of Antwerp):HEARTCATHETERISATION, FIBROSIS, HEALTH ECONOMICS, COAGULATION, SPORTS, PUBLIC HEALTH, CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA, Medicine
  • Keywords  (Hasselt University):Biomedical sciences (incl. biochemistry)
  • Disciplines  (University of Antwerp):Cardiology, Image-guided interventions, Electrophysiology, Molecular physiology, Pathophysiology, General physiology, Organ physiology, Health economy, Health information systems of medical informatics
  • Disciplines  (Hasselt University):Electrophysiology, Cardiology, Image-guided interventions, Molecular physiology, Pathophysiology, General physiology, Organ physiology, Health economy, Health information systems of medical informatics
  • Research techniques  (University of Antwerp):- Electrophysiological studies in patients, big and small animals. - Molecular pathway analysis through proteomics, transcriptomics, genetics and epigenetics - Large and small animal models (pigs; mice) - Multi-modality imaging of the heart and vascular system. - Telemonitoring - Development of own validated questionnaires for patient knowledge assessment and self-care. - Development of mHealth and ICT instruments to support a multidisciplinary and transmural care center (apps, back-end server, patient and physician portal)
  • Users of research expertise  (University of Antwerp):- Medical and biomedical researchers. - Clinicians. - Science journalists.