On January 26, 2015, the delegation of North-West Medical Research Centre visited University Hospital in Zurich (Switzerland). The delegation included: General Director of the Center E. V. Shlyakhto, Deputy Director for Science A. O. Konradi, Director of the Institute of Postgraduate Education E. V. Parmon, Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics A. A. Kostareva, Director of the Institute of Experimental Medicine M. M. Galagudza. The visit was initiated by the invitation of the Director of University Hospital, Professor Thomas Luscher.
The meeting began with a visit to the Center of Molecular Cardiology and tour to its equipment and scientific and methodological capabilities, then the North-West Medical Research Centre representatives participated in a workshop dedicated to the major projects in the field of fundamental research.
The researchers of the Center for Molecular Cardiology spoke on the role of the JunD transcription factor in the pathogenesis of myocardium ischemic-reperfusion injury (Dr. A. Akhmedov), pathogenetic significance of p66Shc protein adapter in the injury formation while ischemic stroke (Dr. R. Spescha), sirtuin protein and atherosclerosis (Dr. M. Miranda), and experimental approaches to the study of vasoconstriction and ateroprotective effects in bariatric surgery (Dr. P. Doytcheva). In conclusion, both sides exchanged views on further cooperation in the field of experimental research.
The second part of the visit consultations took place at the University Hospital Zurich and was dedicated to clinical cardiology. North-West Medical Research Centre and the University of Zurich have experience of the joint project in the field of molecular and genetic mechanisms of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia and creation of the register of patients with this rare disease. Among other issues of general discussion there were the results of renal denervation in resistant hypertension, the observations results of patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and the use of a new system of precise positioning of endocardial electrodes with an external electromagnetic field — the joint development of University Hospital and the University of Technology in Zurich.
Discussion of current projects and specialists’ communication will expand scientific contacts between North-West Medical Research Centre and the University Hospital of Zurich.