The Konstantinos Stellos Lab studies the interplay among RNA-based mechanisms, immune responses and cardiovascular resilience and disease with the scope to develop new strategies to address the residual risk in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

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Despite the current evidence-based guidelines on clinical practice of cardiovascular medicine, the clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic heart disease remain the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Atherosclerosis and heart failure are chronic, nonresolving, multifactorial diseases with a pandemic and, till now, noncurable character.

 

Our laboratory currently aims to discover novel mechanisms at single cell level, single gene and single nucleotide resolution that are critically involved in RNA metabolism, innate immunity and cardiovascular disease in order to develop specific therapies for the treatment of atherosclerotic heart disease and heart failure, and to define the prognostic value of novel disease biomarkers for risk stratification and cardiovascular prevention.

 

We are using second and third generation RNA sequencing, single cell analyses, advanced molecular and cellular biology approaches, and in vivo disease models to investigate at a single nucleotide resolution the role of RNA regulatory elements in RNA metabolism, gene expression, and cellular and organ function in cardiovascular homeostasis and disease. The relevance of our bench findings is further investigated in clinical studies involving patients with subclinical and manifested cardiovascular disease.

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Our lab provides a supportive and challenging environment to its members enabling them to perform cutting edge research in the innovative fields of RNA modifications (epitranscriptome), inflammageing, cardiovascular immunology, atherosclerosis and heart failure.