R&D Areas | Cardiology

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality world-wide. The underlying molecular causes are still largely unknown, but are likely to involve alterations in gene and protein expression. Despite multiple clinical, electrographic and biochemical characteristics, there are subgroups of patients who progress to severe, life threatening CAD without much symptoms and signs. For example, patients with type 2 diabetes and the elderly frequently suffer from silent myocardial infarctions with significantly increased risk of complications. Early diagnosis of CAD in its presymptomatic stage would allow for better, targeted and hence more effective primary prevention as compared to current clinical recommendations. Proteomics is increasingly used to examine dynamic changes in protein expression providing new insights into cellular processes.