Research background  

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide and arise from complex molecular alterations that affect cardiac and vascular function. Understanding how gene regulatory networks are disrupted in heart and lung disease is essential for identifying new therapeutic strategies. In particular, non-coding RNAs have emerged as key modulators of gene expression, influencing transcriptional and post-transcriptional programs without encoding proteins. How these RNA molecules contribute to disease progression and whether they can serve as drug targets remain central questions in translational cardiovascular research.

The research of Stefan Engelhardt focuses on the identification and functional analysis of novel therapeutic targets in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, with a major emphasis on non-coding RNAs. Using advanced genomic and molecular approaches to study RNA-mediated regulation, his work investigates how dysregulated RNA networks drive pathological remodeling and disease progression. By integrating mechanistic studies of nucleic acid–based regulatory pathways with translational strategies, this research aims to develop targeted therapies that address the underlying molecular causes of cardiovascular disorders.