Stokke group: Translational arrhythmology and electrophysiology

We aim to understand processes that lead to cardiac disease due to pathological electrophysiology, especially arrhythmias. Our goal is that this insight will lead to improved diagnostics and therapy for patients with cardiac disease.

Our translational research team work to unravel fundamental principles of cardiac electrophysiology, in order to provide a better understanding and management of clinical conditions caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart. We use observations from patients as the outset for our laboratory experiments, and test key findings in large animal models and clinical situations.

 

We want to be able to predict and prevent triggers of arrhythmic events, and to provide a basis for the use of exercise for electrophysiological remodeling in a safe manner. We especially focus on the role of calcium handling by cardiac proteins associated with the sarcoplasmic reticulum, such as RyR2, SERCA2 and CaMKII. To better understand the role of these proteins, we use rodent models of heart failure, CPVT, HCM and ischemia-reperfusion.

 

We combine clinical observations and interventions with molecular biology, cellular electrophysiology, Langendorff-perfused hearts and in vivo characterization by echocardiography, MRI and telemetric ECG recording. We also expose rodent models to exercise training by voluntary running in resistance-controlled running wheels and treadmills. As part of this strategy, we collaborate closely with other research groups with expertise on basic research methods, clinical electrophysiology, cardiac imaging and cardiogenetics. This provides us the opportunity to understand biological processes involved in pathological electrophysiology on a molecular, cellular, organ and organism level.

Group leader Mathis Korseberg Stokke is Professor I at UiO and Consultant Cardiologist at the Arrhythmia Unit, Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet. He is also Deputy Director of NORHEART – The Norwegian PhD School of Heart Research. He leads a research group with researchers of different academic backgrounds and specific know-how, from nanotechnology and molecular biology to clinical training in cardiology. The group also collaborates closely with clinicians and researchers at Oslo University Hospital, and with international collaborators in the US, Germany and UK.

 

Group Leader

Mathis Korseberg Stokke

Head of Department & Group Leader & Professor & Senior Consultant

Group members

Kristine Andreassen

Doctoral Research Fellow

Petter Mikal Johansen Skar

Medical Research Curriculum Student

Simon Girmai Berger

Doctoral Research Fellow

Stine Aagaard-Nilsen

Medical Research Curriculum Student

Tristan Hellstrand

Medical Research Curriculum Student

Associated members

Kristine Mørk Kindberg

Doctoral Research Fellow

Pernille Borch

Medical Research Curriculum Student

Latest publications

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Haugsten Hansen M, Sadredini M, Hasic A, Eriksen M, Stokke MK (2023)
Myocardial oxidative stress is increased in early reperfusion, but systemic antioxidative therapy does not prevent ischemia-reperfusion arrhythmias in pigs
Front Cardiovasc Med, 10, 1223496
PubMed 37823177 DOI 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1223496
Aagaard-Nilsen S, Dejgaard LA, Anfinsen OG, Lyseggen E, Holm T, Fink TS, Odland HH, Sevre K, Kongsgård E, Hegbom F, Stokke MK (2023)
Utility of the Inferior Axis and Left Bundle Branch Block Pattern for Categorization of Patients With Premature Ventricular Complexes Before Catheter Ablation
Am J Cardiol, 201, 148-149
PubMed 37385167 DOI 10.1016/j.amjcard.2023.06.013
Andreassen K, Rixon C, Hansen MH, Hauge-Iversen IM, Zhang L, Sadredini M, Erusappan PM, Sjaastad I, Christensen G, Haugaa KH, Edvardsen T, Lunde IG, Stokke MK (2023)
Beneficial effects of exercise initiated before development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in genotype-positive mice
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 324 (6), H881-H892
PubMed 37115627 DOI 10.1152/ajpheart.00701.2022
Berger SG, Witczak BN, Reiseter S, Schwartz T, Andersson H, Hetlevik SO, Berntsen KS, Sanner H, Lilleby V, Gunnarsson R, Molberg Ø, Sjaastad I, Stokke MK (2023)
Cardiac dysfunction in mixed connective tissue disease: a nationwide observational study
Rheumatol Int, 43 (6), 1055-1065
PubMed 36933069 DOI 10.1007/s00296-023-05308-3
Rypdal KB, Olav Melleby A, Robinson EL, Li J, Palmero S, Seifert DE, Martin D, Clark C, López B, Andreassen K, Dahl CP, Sjaastad I, Tønnessen T, Stokke MK, Louch WE, González A, Heymans S, Christensen G, Apte SS, Lunde IG (2022)
ADAMTSL3 knock-out mice develop cardiac dysfunction and dilatation with increased TGFβ signalling after pressure overload
Commun Biol, 5 (1), 1392
PubMed 36539599 DOI 10.1038/s42003-022-04361-1
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