The Cardiovascular Research (CVR) Group conducts physiological research with a focus on cardiovascular diseases, using intact animals, organs and isolated cells, aiming to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the disease development. The research has a translational aspect, reflected in a long-term collaboration with research groups both locally (Department of Clinical Medicine and the University Hospital of Northern Norway), nationally and internationally. The members of the CRV group are also involved in teaching physiology as part of many courses at the UiT, including the school of medicine, odontology, bachelor and master level in biomedicine, radiography-, nutrition, nursing, physiotherapy, paramedicine, dental hygiene and biomedical laboratory science.
Back, left to right: Astri Jeanette Meen, Liv Tone Eliassen, Trine Lund, Ellen Aasum, Terje Larsen, Ole-Jakob How, Samuel Geiseler, John Martin Ming Fredriksen
Front, left to right: Britt Nanny Fuglesteg, Kirsti Ytrehus, Timofey Kondratyev, Asad Akhtar, Wei Li, Anne Dragøy Hafstad, Anne Catrine Furuheim Bryn, Joanna Konieczny, Neoma Boardman
Štěpán M, Daďová K, Matouš M, Krauzová E, Sontáková L, Koc M, Larsen T, Kuda O, Štich V, Rossmeislová L, Šiklová M.
Exercise Training Combined with Calanus Oil Supplementation Improves the Central Cardiodynamic Function in Older Women. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 29;14(1):149.
Ytrehus K, Ludvigsen S, Mancusi C, Gerdts E, de Simone G.
Heart Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Gene Expression Associated With Male Sex and Salt-Sensitive Hypertension in the Dahl Rat.
Perrino C, Ferdinandy P, Bøtker HE, Brundel BJJM, Collins P, Davidson SM, den Ruijter HM, Engel FB, Gerdts E, Girao H, Gyöngyösi M, Hausenloy DJ, Lecour S, Madonna R, Marber M, Murphy E, Pesce M, Regitz-Zagrosek V, Sluijter JPG, Steffens S, Gollmann-Tepeköylü C, Van Laake LW, Van Linthout S, Schulz R, Ytrehus K.
Improving translational research in sex-specific effects of comorbidities and risk factors in ischaemic heart disease and cardioprotection: position paper and recommendations of the ESC Working Group on Cellular Biology of the Heart.
Obesity-induced alterations in the gut microbiome in female mice fed a high-fat diet are antagonized by dietary supplementation with a novel, wax ester-rich, marine oil.
Beretta M, Santos CX, Molenaar C, Hafstad AD, Miller CC, Revazian A, Betteridge K, Schröder K, Streckfuß-Bömeke K, Doroshow JH, Fleck RA, Su TP, Belousov VV, Parsons M, Shah AM.
Nox4 regulates InsP3 receptor-dependent Ca2+ release into mitochondria to promote cell survival.
EMBO J. 2020 Oct 1;39(19):e103530.
doi: 10.15252/embj.2019103530. Epub 2020 Aug 10. PMID: 33001475; PMCID: PMC7527947.
The CRG have students from many of the study programs as bachelor, master and PhDs
PhD-students
PhD-students
Asad Akthar, PhD fellow
I'm Asad, originally from Pakistan, where I earned my veterinary medicine degree. After serving several years as a general practitioner in public veterinary hospitals,
my growing interest in physiology and immunology led me to the Arctic University of Norway. There, I pursued a master’s in Biomedicine, deepening my understanding
of these disciplines. Now, as a Ph.D. stipendiate with the Cardiovascular Research Group at IMB, my research primarily revolves around the cardiotoxic effects associated with breast cancer treatments. I'm particularly focused on the interplay between metabolic adaptation and oxidative stress. My work employs a combination of ex-vivo and in-vivo techniques, such as echocardiography, MRI, and targeted metabolomics. Through rigorous wet-lab experiments, I aim to uncover potential avenues for therapeutic interventions.
In 2022, I had the privilege of receiving a mobility grant, which took me to JBC at Kings College London. This opportunity allowed me to further refine my skills in metabolomics and in-vivo techniques under the guidance of Professor Ajay Shah.
Thank you for exploring our group's endeavors. We remain committed to advancing cardiovascular research.
Nelsy Taboko-Foncha, PhD fellow
Heart failure remains a leading cause of death in Norway and worldwide. Impaired Ca2+ homeostasis, altered cardiac metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction are hallmarks of the failing heart contributing to contractile dysfunction and a mismatch between energy demand and supply. As mitochondrial function is critically controlled by Ca2+, and is essential for contraction and energy homeostasis. Using a translational approach, aims in this PhD project are to elucidate calcium-induced changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics that include mitochondrial-sarcoplasmic reticulum interaction, mitochondrial cristae morphology and dynamics, in experimental models of heart failure.
Cecilie M. Ness, PhD fellow
High uric acid is an independent risk factor for hypertension, diastolic dysfunction, metabolic and kidney disease. Uric acid is also modifiable through the diet. Aims for this project include to study relationships between diet, metabolic disease, microbiome and uric acid levels.
Fatty liver is a silent manifestation of the metabolic syndrome that affects millions worldwide that is a risk factor for diastolic dysfunction and as such has a high prevalence during heart failure. Aims for this project include to study liver-heart crosstalk during fatty liver, e.g through fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), a highly studied hepatokine released by the liver under stress.
Joanna Konieczny, PhD fellow
She has graduated a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology (engineering) at University of Agriculture in her hometown, Kraków, and master in Biomedicine at University of Tromsø. Aside from science her passions include nature, skating, pole dancing (the national dance) and all sorts of arts and crafts.
Scientific works:
The hen’s (Gallus domesticus) ovary as a model for carcinogenesis studies.- based on bachelor’s thesis under supervision of Dr Małgorzata Grzesiak- published in Kosmos Tom 66 Nr 2 (2017) PL ISSN 0023-4249
Master’s thesis: Does aging foster transformation to Acute Myeloid Leukaemia? Study of mice cohort bearing haematopoietic malignancy burden, and the effects of ageing on leukaemia progression and on the bone marrow microenvironment.
Updates on Old and Weary Haematopoiesis. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Aug 29 Konieczny J, Arranz L.
Leukemia Stem Cell Release From the Stem Cell Niche to Treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 Jul 9 Villatoro A, Konieczny J, Cuminetti V, Arranz L.
Endogenous IL-1 receptor antagonist restricts healthy and malignant myeloproliferation. Nat Commun. 2023 Jun 30 Villatoro A, Cuminetti V, Bernal A, Torroja C, Cossío I, Benguría A, Ferré M, Konieczny J, Vázquez E, Rubio A, Utnes P, Tello A, You X, Fenton CG, Paulssen RH, Zhang J, Sánchez-Cabo F, Dopazo A, Vik A, Anderssen E, Hidalgo A, Arranz L.
Anne Cathrine Furuheim Bryn, PhD fellow
Anne Cathrine Furuheim Bryn has a medical degree from UiT (2022) and has been a medical research student at the CVR group where she had her thesis defence in 2021 (title: HER2-blockage and anthracycline-induced metabolic remodeling of the heart )
Her PhD-project is titled: Metabolic remodelling in cardiotoxicity following breast-cancer therapy
In the last decades, cancer therapies have made remarkable advances, and the overall survival in breast cancer patients has increased. However, major side effects of new anticancer agents are induction of cardiovascular toxicities, potentially resulting in declining heart performance and eventually heart failure. Although a few studies suggest metabolic reprogramming in the heart following cancer therapy, no studies have assessed this topic and elucidated the metabolic and energetic changes that may occur. The aim of this project is to to correlate imaging of cardiac mitochondria and lipid-droplet phenotypes to mitochondrial function, cardiac substrate utilization and myocardial energetics following treatments with anti-cancer drugs. Also, by exposing cells to anthracyclines and HER2-blockers, we wish to carefully elucidate the LD dynamics, mitochondrial function and fitness and the consequence on cardiac sterile inflammation.
Master's student in clinical nutrition affiliated with the Cardiovascular Research Group at IMB.
In my master's thesis I am studying the effects of chronic high fructose consumption on fatty liver disease, metabolic dysfunction, and inter-organ crosstalk in a rat model.
MSc student in clinical nutrition John Martin Ming Fredriksen Foto: Ukjent
Anita Mir Armandi
I am Anita and I come from the beautiful country of Iran. I found out about my passion for biomedicine during my childhood when I constantly asked my mother to provide me with an at-home laboratory so that I could run my own experiments. That experience made me determined to pursue a carrier in this field. Currently, I am working with the cardiovascular research group at UiT to establish the protective effect of Calanus derived fatty acid from Calanus oil in cardiac cells. Outside laboratory I find solace and balance in my love for yoga and meditation.
MSc student in Biomedicine Anita Mir Armandi Foto: xxx
Kirsti Ytrehus - transition to Professor Emerita Seminar 8th of June 2023. The Pathophysiology of the Heart – From Cell Systems to Clinical practice and Education
Kirsti Ytrehus - transition to Professor Emerita Seminar 8th of June 2023. The Pathophysiology of the Heart – From Cell Systems to Clinical practice and Education
Professor Emerita Kirsti Ytrehus Foto: UkjentIn connection with the retirement of Professor Kirsti Ytrehus in the summer of 2023, we arranged a seminar day with the theme "pathophysiology of the heart". Professor Kirsti Ytrehus has been central to medicine education at the Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT for many decades as a lecturer and Dean of the faculty. She has also been an important voice as a researcher in cardiac pathophysiology at UiT, in Norway and in collaboration with international research environments. We brought together former and current doctoral students, guest researchers and colleagues to create a seminar day that deals with the teaching and research she has been involved in, but also lectures from former students to shed light on what they are doing today.Seminar in the Auditorium Foto: xxxParty at Árdna in the evening Foto: xxxLink to this page