Dr. Elisabeth Zeisberg endeavors to understand the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrogenesis by linking experimental models to clinical observations. Within this aim she identified endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) as a new mechanism which contributes to fibrosis (Nat Med 2007). Based on the finding that EndMT and fibrogenesis is driven by epigenetic silencing of fibrosis-suppressor genes via aberrant DNA methylation (Nat Med 2010), the Zeisberg team was one of the first to demonstrate gene-specific reversal of such DNA methylation and the first to demonstrate its utility as anti-fibrotic therapy in vivo (Nat Comm 2018).
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES (Speaking, Spoken, and Authored)