Gender Studies and Preventive Cardiology

My working group has its focus in the investigation of gender-specific differences in cardiovascular medicine. We place particular emphasis on investigating relevant changes caused by menopause. Furthermore, we are at the forefront of research into metabolic diseases such as type II diabetes mellitus in patients with cardiovascular diseases, with a focus on acute myocardial infarction. We cover the entire spectrum of preclinical analyses in cell culture and mouse models as well as clinical studies. 

1. 2023 Future4PRISM (Bile Acids in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy) dedicated to Dr. med Oscar Chavez-Talavera
2. 2024 Wiedereinstiegsförderung für forschende ÄrztInnen der Else Kröner Fresenius Stiftung (Estrogen counteracts increased infarct size and cardiac remodeling in post-menopause women with T2D and MI)
3. 2024 Sachbeihilfe-Antrag der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (Platelet reactivity is increased by menopause via cytoskeleton modification) – status: in Revision

12/2024 Wiedereinstiegsförderung der Else Kröner Fresenius Stiftung
01/2022-05/2023 SelmaMeyerPROF-Programm (Durchgang 6)
11/2021 German Medical Award „Medical Researcher of the year 2021“

Nora Farahat, Cand. med.
Sally Gray, Cand. med.
Jill Königs, Cand. med.
Lena Voelkel, Cand. med.
Sven Sackermann, B.Sc.
Lara Nagels, Cand. med.
Wiebke Lentz, Cand. med.
Melissa Bludau, Cand. med.

Dr. rer. nat. Natalie Krahmer - Institute of Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Center Munich
Prof. Dr. Bodo Levkau and Dr. rer. nat. Sarah Weske - Institute for Molecular Medicine III, University Hospital Duesseldorf
PD Dr. Tobias Petzold - Department for Cardiology, LMU, Munich
Prof. Dr. Maria Grandoch - Institute for Translational Pharmacology, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf
Dr. rer. nat. Elvira Weber - Clinic for Cardiothoracic Surgery, 3D Cure Lab, University Hospital Duesseldorf
Prof. Dr. Eva Kassi, MD, PhD - Biochemistry-Endocrinology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

_{1.    Kielb J, Farahat N, Weber J, Shahrjerdi K, Saffak S, Baensch L, Celik A, Riek S, Ahlbrecht S, Glugla S, Chavez-Talavera O, Polzin A, Lang A, Pfeiler S, Gerdes N, Zeus T, Grandoch M, Kelm M, Dannenberg L. Pro-atherogenic monocytes as risk predictor for severe coronary artery disease in post-menopausal women.Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2025 Aug 9:zwaf501. doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf501. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40795819}

_{2.    Benkhoff M, Barcik M, Mourikis P, Dahlmanns J, Kahmann P, Wollnitzke P, Hering M, Huckenbeck T, Hoppe J, Semleit N, Deister-Jonas J, Zako S, Seel J, Coman C, Barth M, Cramer M, Helten C, Wildeis L, Hu H, Al-Kassis G, Metzen D, Hesse J, Weber J, Dannenberg L, Akhyari P, Lichtenberg A, Quast C, Gerdes N, Zeus T, Borst O, Kelm M, Petzold T, Ahrends R, Levkau B, Polzin A. Targeting Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Signaling to Prevent the Progression of Aortic Valve Disease.Circulation. 2025}

_{3.    Polzin A, Dannenberg L*, Benkhoff M, Barcik M, Helten C, Mourikis P, Ahlbrecht S, Wildeis L, Ziese J, Zikeli D, Metzen D, Hu H, Baensch L, Schröder NH, Keul P, Weske S, Wollnitzke P, Duse D, Saffak S, Cramer M, Bönner F, Müller T, Gräler MH, Zeus T, Kelm M, Levkau B. Revealing concealed cardioprotection by platelet Mfsd2b-released S1P in human and murine myocardial infarction. Nat Commun. 2023 Apr 26;14(1):2404. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38069-5. PMID: 37100836}

_{4.    Dannenberg L, Weske S, Kelm M, Levkau B, Polzin A. Cellular mechanisms and recommended drug-based therapeutic options in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Pharmacol Ther. 2021 Dec;228:107920. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107920. Epub 2021 Jun 24.PMID: 34171330}

_{5.    Polzin A*, Dannenberg L*, Benkhoff M, Barcik M, Keul P, Ayhan A, Weske S, Ahlbrecht S, Trojovsky K, Helten C, Haberkorn S, Flögel U, Zeus T, Müller T, Gräler MH, Kelm M, Levkau B. Sphingosine-1-phosphate improves outcome of no-reflow acute myocardial infarction via sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1. ESC Heart Fail. 2023 Feb;10(1):334-341. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.14176. Epub 2022 Oct 11. PMID: 36217778}

_{6.    Polzin A* Dannenberg L*, Benkhoff M, Barcik M, Keul P, Helten C, Zeus T, Kelm M, Levkau B. S1P Lyase Inhibition Starting After Ischemia/Reperfusion Improves Postischemic Cardiac Remodeling. JACC Basic Transl Sci. 2022 May 23;7(5):498-499. doi: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2022.03.009. eCollection 2022 May. PMID: 35663625}

_{7.    Polzin A*, Dannenberg L*, Helten C, Pöhl M, Metzen D, Mourikis P, Dücker C, Marschall U, L'Hoest H, Hennig B, Zako S, Trojovsky K, Petzold T, Jung C, Levkau B, Zeus T, Schrör K, Hohlfeld T, Kelm M. Excess Mortality in Aspirin and Dipyrone (Metamizole) Co-Medicated in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: A Nationwide Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Nov 16;10(22):e022299. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.022299. Epub 2021 Nov 2. PMID: 34726072}

_{8.    Petzold T*, Thienel M*, Dannenberg L*, Mourikis P, Helten C, Ayhan A, M'Pembele R, Achilles A, Trojovky K, Konsek D, Zhang Z, Regenauer R, Pircher J, Ehrlich A, Lüsebrink E, Nicolai L, Stocker TJ, Brandl R, Röschenthaler F, Strecker J, Saleh I, Spannagl M, Mayr CH, Schiller HB, Jung C, Gerdes N, Hoffmann T, Levkau B, Hohlfeld T, Zeus T, Schulz C, Kelm M, Polzin A. Rivaroxaban Reduces Arterial Thrombosis by Inhibition of FXa-Driven Platelet Activation via Protease Activated Receptor-1. Circ Res. 2020 Feb 14;126(4):486-500. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.315099. Epub 2019 Dec 20. PubMed PMID: 31859592.}

_{9.    Polzin A*, Dannenberg L*, Thienel M, Orban M, Wolff G, Hohlfeld T, Zeus T, Kelm M, Petzold T. Noncanonical Effects of Oral Thrombin and Factor Xa Inhibitors in Platelet Activation and Arterial Thrombosis. Thromb Haemost. 2021 Feb;121(2):122-130. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1716750. Epub 2020 Sep 17. PubMed PMID: 32942315.}

_{10.    Polzin A*, Dannenberg L*, Wolff G, Helten C, Achilles A, Hohlfeld T, Zeus T,Kelm M, Massberg S, Petzold T. Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC) and the risk of myocardial infarction: Differences between factor IIa and factor Xa inhibition? Pharmacol Ther. 2019 Mar;195:1-4, Doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Oct 12. Review. PubMed PMID:30321554.}