Research lines

• Mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias in high-level athletes

  Heavily trained athletes have been found to be at a higher risk of atrial fibrillation and right ventricular arrhythmias than their sedentary counterparts. We focus our research in the identification of the exercise characteristics and mechanisms that promote a pro-arrhythmogenic remodelling, aiming at eventually identifying clinically usable markers.

• Extra-cardiac consequences of very high-intensity physical activity

  The deleterious consequences of high-intensity physical activity may not be limited to the heart. We are currently interested in testing whether heavily trained rats develop stiffer arteries than sedentary ones, in keeping with recent clinical data.

• Characterization of the pathophysiology of cardiac arrhythmias

  We are also interested in uncovering the mechanisms of the deleterious atrial arrhythmogenic cardiac remodelling occurring in the absence of overt cardiac conditions (lone atrial fibrillation), but also in other settings such as heart failure. These may serve to improve our diagnostic and therapeutic approach.