The Center of Excellence biobank.cy of the University of Cyprus announces the launch of the innovative research program CARMMEN entitled “Cardiac Regeneration: Investigating the Role of MYPN Protein in Myocardiogenesis and Cardiac Tissue Repair.”

As part of the study, the role of this protein in the process of cardiac regeneration will be investigated for the first time in Cyprus, both in cellular systems and animal models. The answers to the research questions aim to lead to the discovery of new therapeutic approaches for repairing damaged myocardium and addressing heart failure.

For this purpose, two different and innovative study systems will be used:

• Cardiac organoids, which are three-dimensional microscopic aggregates that include all types of human heart cells and closely resemble the heart organ under laboratory conditions.

• The zebrafish animal model, which has the remarkable ability to regenerate its heart after injury.

It is worth noting that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (www.who.int), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, representing 32% of all global deaths. The most common cardiovascular diseases are acute myocardial infarction and inherited cardiomyopathies. A characteristic of both is the intense and progressive death of cardiomyocytes, accompanied by various forms and degrees of fibrosis. Given the limited regenerative capacity of the human heart (~1% renewal per year), a common outcome of both types of cardiovascular disease is partial loss of cardiac function, due to the replacement of functional cardiomyocytes by non-contractile fibrous tissue. Despite impressive scientific advances in the field, current pharmaceutical treatments alleviate symptoms of heart disease rather than reverse existing damage. As a result, the only definitive treatment for heart failure remains heart transplantation, which comes with significant socioeconomic constraints. Given the lack of sufficient therapeutic options, great interest has turned toward regenerative medicine for the heart.

Although the Myopalladin (MYPN) protein is known for its role in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of cardiac and skeletal muscles, its involvement in myocardiogenesis and cardiac repair remains unknown. The new study by the Center of Excellence biobank.cy of the University of Cyprus seeks to fill this scientific gap.

As Dr. Sofia Nikouli, Molecular Biologist at biobank.cy and Project Coordinator, states: “If it is proven that MYPN contributes to heart regeneration, we will have opened new horizons in understanding cardiomyopathies and developing targeted, personalized therapies. This is the goal we will work toward.”

The research project falls under the Post-Doc/0524 program of the “RESTART 2016-2020” framework for Research, Technological Development, and Innovation in Cyprus by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF). It is implemented by the Center of Excellence biobank.cy of the University of Cyprus in collaboration with the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA).