FibroCard
- platform for studying and targeting fibrosis in cardiac disease
Disease
Cardiac fibrosis
Aim
To establish and validate a drug screening platform to study the dynamics of fibrosis, fibroblast function and biomarkers.
Approach
The FibroCard project will leverage insights from cardiac fibrosis progression in pigs, human cardiac samples, advanced transcriptomics, and cellular models by establishing a robust and validated human platform for in vitro drug screening of anti-fibrotic treatments. The FibroCard platform will also include validated extracellular matrix biomarkers to monitor disease progression and the efficacy of drug interventions. By integrating these diverse models and methodologies, the FibroCard team will create a comprehensive platform to advance the future discovery and development of new anti-fibrotic therapies for cardiac disease.
Project period
2025-2028
Academic partners
Bo Hjorth Bentzen, Assoc. Professor, University of Copenhagen
- Head of FibroCard
- Cardiac physiology and pharmacology
Thomas Jespersen, Professor, University of Copenhagen
- Cardiac physiology and pharmacology
Helena Dominguez, MD, Cardiologist, Copenhagen University Hospitals
- Translational research in cardiology
Industry partners
- Nordic Bioscience
- Novo Nordisk
The FibroCard project (2025-2028) aims to establish and validate a drug screening platform to study the dynamics of fibrosis, fibroblast function and biomarkers.
The team will use insights from cardiac fibrosis progression in pigs, human cardiac samples, advanced transcriptomics, and cellular models to establish a robust and validated human platform for in vitro drug screening of anti-fibrotic treatments. The FibroCard platform will also include validated extracellular matrix (ECM) biomarkers to monitor disease progression and the efficacy of drug interventions. By integrating these diverse models and methodologies, the FibroCard team will create a comprehensive platform to advance the future discovery and development of new anti-fibrotic therapies for cardiac disease.
THE FIBROCARD TEAM
Academic team members
- Bo Hjorth Bentzen, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
- Thomas Jepsersen, Professor, University of Copenhagen
- Helena Dominguez, MD, Cardiologist, Copenhagen University Hospitals
- Arnela Saljic, Senior Postdoc, University of Copenhagen
Industrial team member
- Federica Genovese, Nordic Bioscience
- Kate Herum, Novo Nordisk
INDUSTRY PARTNERS IN FibroCard
Nordic Bioscience provides laboratory services for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, specializing in precision medicine using unique biomarker technologies.
Novo Nordisk is a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company most commonly known for products for treating diabetes. However, the company has focus areas within cardiometabolic diseases.
You can find out more about the industrial partners in FibroCard using the links below.
ABOUT ODIN
We unite bright minds from industry and academia to jointly create need-driven clinical research projects - and pave the way for innovative new treatments and diagnostics. We fund the best project ideas through competitive funding calls. Although companies cannot receive funding, it is free of charge to join.
The platform is sponsored by the Novo Nordisk Foundation with 180 million DKK from 2024-2029.
CONTACT ODIN
You are welcome to contact us if you have questions or comments. Reach out to odin@au.dk or find the Secretariat's direct email addresses under contacts.
Although the platform spans five Danish universities, we're based in Aarhus. Our office is located at Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, blg 1521-214.
