Prof. Dr. Daphne Merkus
Affiliation: Walter Brendel Centre for Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich
Research Focus:
Prof. Merkus investigates coronary microvascular dysfunction, right ventricular overload, and systemic responses to chronic cardiovascular stress. Her group studies how comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes lead to altered myocardial and vascular function in clinically relevant settings.
Role in ICON:
Prof. Merkus contributes to ICON’s focus on heart failure and vascular remodeling. Her group develops swine models that enable precise hemodynamic measurements and functional testing during physical or pharmacological stress. These models help explore early predictors and mechanisms of disease progression.
Key Areas of Work:
- Coronary and systemic microvascular pathophysiology
- Right ventricular function and pressure overload
- Exercise-based cardiovascular diagnostics
- Translational cardiac and pulmonary modeling
Techniques & Infrastructure:
- Hemodynamic testing and flow measurement
- Pressure-volume loop analysis
- Imaging-integrated stress testing in pigs
- Preclinical cardiopulmonary disease models