Sano PhD Student: The Role of Neurocardiac Interaction in Arrhythmic Digital Twin Hearts

Updated: over 2 years ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 31 Jan 2022

Sano PhD Student

Project title: The Role of Neurocardiac Interaction in Arrhythmic Digital Twin Hearts

Publication date: 17.11.2021

Closing date: 31.01 2022

Level of education required: Master's degree

Hours: 40 hours per week

Salary indication: up to PLN 8000 gross monthly

Supervisors:

Sano: Dr Zbigniew R. Struzik (Modelling and Simulation Research Group Leader)

Project start: April 2022

The primary question to be addressed in this project is whether neurocardiac interaction at both Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) level and Intrinsic Cardiac Nervous System (ICNS) level can be incorporated in digital cohort/twin models of the whole human heart, in particular those developing arrhythmias. If so, how are we to approach this in Digital Twin models, given sparse information about both the ANS and ICNS at an individual patient level.

Understanding the role that the ICNS plays in controlling cardiac function, and how it interacts with information between the central command centres of the ANS and integrates sensory information from the myocardium could prove crucial for prophylactic and corrective treatments of heart disease. In particular, clusters of cardiac ganglia neurons located on the surface of the heart, collectively termed ganglionated plexuses (GP), are known to be involved in arrhythmias. An array of imaging, modelling and simulation studies should be devised to address the question of whether Digital Twin Heart modelling can incorporate and will benefit from ANS and ICNS control insights. In particular, can we incorporate knowledge of the structure and function of the Intrinsic Nervous System to provide better modelling of arrhythmias? Further, can this knowledge be used to provide guidance in (optimal) ablation of the ganglionated plexuses?

What are you going to do?

You are expected to:

  • do original research in this field under the direction of the supervisor;
  • participate in the many seminars by internal and external speakers, as well as journal clubs and group activities;
  • collaborate with other PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers and Sano employees.

Literature:

[1] Winboa A. et al., Neuroscience in the heart: Recent advances in neurocardiac communication and its role in cardiac arrhythmias, The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Vol 122, May 2020, 105737, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2020.105737

[2]
André Ng G., Neuro-cardiac interaction in malignant ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 199 (2016) 66–79, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2016.07.001

[3] Wake E., Brack Dr K., Characterization of the intrinsic cardiac nervous system, Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 199 (2016) 3–16, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2016.08.006

[4] Kalla M. et al., Cardiac sympatho-vagal balance and ventricular arrhythmia, Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 199 (2016) 29–37, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2016.08.016 


[5] Shen M.J., Zipes D.P., Role of the autonomic nervous system in modulating cardiac arrhythmias, Circulation Research, 14 March 2014, doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.113.302549

[6] Avazzadeh S. et al., Ganglionated plexi ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9, 3081; doi:10.3390/jcm9103081

[7] Beaumont E. et al., Network interactions within the canine intrinsic cardiac nervous system: implications for reflex control of regional cardiac function, J Physiol 591.18 (2013) 4515–4533 4515, doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.259382

[8] Longpré J.-P. et al., Measure of synchrony in the activity of intrinsic cardiac neurons, Physiol. Meas. (2014) 35 549, doi: doi:10.1088/0967-3334/35/4/549

[9] Litviňuková M. et al., Cells of the adult human heart, 466, Nature, Vol 588, 17 December 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2797-4

[10] Petraitiene V. et al., Distribution of adrenergic and cholinergic nerve fibres within intrinsic nerves at the level of the human heart hilum, European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 45 (2014) 1097–1105, doi:10.1093/ejcts/ezt575

[11] Achanta S. et al., A comprehensive integrated anatomical and molecular atlas of rat
intrinsic cardiac nervous system, iScience 23, 101140, 26 June 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci . 2020.101140

[12] R.-A.B. Burton, Optical interrogation of sympathetic neuronal effects on macroscopic cardiomyocyte network dynamics, iScience 23, 101334, 24 July 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci . 2020.101334



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