Our research group is interested in ion channels and human diseases caused by dysfunction on ion channels, channelopathies.

We are part of the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

One of the principal objectives of our work is to elucidate novel molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias causing sudden cardiac death. To this end, on the one hand, our group investigates ion channel mutations found in patients and families presenting with genetic forms of lethal arrhythmias such as the congenital long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, or cardiac conduction disturbances. Since a few years we also investigate new genetic variants in the gene CFTR that are found in cystic fibrosis patients from diverse African populations.

On the other hand, we are studying new types of regulation of cardiac ion channels relevant to arrhythmogenic mechanisms. Our group is currently investigating the regulation of the cardiac sodium channel Nav1.5 and its modulation by interacting proteins (funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation). Another focus is the TRP channel TRPM4 that is mutated in patients with cardiac conduction disorders. We are investigating the consequences of these mutations, as well as developing new small molecule modulators of TRPM4. This project was part of the NCCR TransCure (also funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation from 2010 until 2022).

Please have a look at our recently published original articles!

Our group co-organized with Prof. Angelika Lampert (RWTH Aachen University, Germany) two  series of online seminars entitled “Worldwide Sodium Channel Seminars”. Following these online seminars we also organized an on-site conference in Grindelwald, Switzerland in Jan. 2024. A second edition of the “Grindelwald conference” is planed.