A Decade of Research and Development with Passion

For the past ten years, researchers at the Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine at the University Heart Center have been studying the heart—from the molecular level to the organ as a whole / International Conference on Cardiology on October

The human heart beats about 100,000 times a day. In the process, billions of cells must coordinate their behavior and respond to physical exertion, stress, or illness. How this self-regulation works is still not fully understood. For the past ten years, scientists at the Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine (IEKM) at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg have been conducting research on precisely this topic. Researchers from the fields of medicine, biology, engineering, and theoretical science are studying the heart—from individual molecules to the entire organ. The anniversary will be celebrated on Monday, October 5, 2026, as part of an international conference in Freiburg. 

“The heart beats throughout our entire lives without us having to think about it. We now have a better understanding of how the heart manages this, but we are still far from a complete understanding,” says Prof. Dr. Peter Kohl, director of the Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. “It is precisely these unanswered questions that drive us. Because sometimes the path to a new treatment begins with a seemingly simple question: Why does this actually work?”

When Different Perspectives on the Same Heart Converge

The institute is deliberately not organized around individual diseases. In five research areas, scientists collaborate using a variety of methods. They develop instruments, examine individual heart cells, visualize the heart’s structures, and model biological processes in computer simulations.

Through collaboration—including with industry partners engaged in research—ideas for medical applications emerge. For example, researchers at the IEKM are investigating how electrical impulses could be used to treat cardiac arrhythmias more precisely. Another team is developing a novel cardiac catheter designed to prevent dangerous arrhythmias when reopening a blocked coronary artery.

“Research is particularly valuable when it opens up new possibilities for patient care,” says Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer of the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. “The IEKM combines scientific curiosity with the clear goal of advancing cardiology—this is exactly the kind of close collaboration between the lab and the clinic that we need.”

Over the past ten years, people from 33 countries have worked or studied at the IEKM. More than 365 scientific papers have been published to date, over 30,000 tissue samples have been collected for cardiovascular research, approximately 22.5 million euros in competitive research funding has been secured, national research networks have been established, and a novel one-year master’s program in Medical Sciences—Cardiovascular Research has been launched as a preparatory year for a Ph.D. in cardiovascular research.

“Science begins with curiosity, and it becomes particularly productive when people with different perspectives examine the same question,” says Prof. Dr. Lutz Hein, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine – University of Freiburg. “To this end, the IEKM has created a space in Freiburg where ideas can come together to forge new paths in cardiovascular medicine.” 

The anniversary event will begin on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the University of Freiburg. It is part of the international conference “Cardiac Autoregulation 2026” on October 5 and 6. Journalists are cordially invited to attend the anniversary event. 

Caption: For the past ten years, numerous scientists have been conducting heart research at the Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg.
Image source: Medical Center – University of Freiburg/Britt Schilling