Department of Vascular Surgery – Endovascular Surgery, Hildesheim

Research location

Department of Vascular Surgery – Endovascular Surgery, Hildesheim
Prof. Mathias Wilhelmi, MD

Research

Department of Vascular Surgery – Endovascular Surgery at St. Bernward Hospital, Hildesheim

Wilhelmi / Zippusch / Aper Research Group

Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering – Implant Research and Development (NIFE) Stadtfelddamm 34, 30625 Hanover (Contact persons: Dr S. Zippusch; Dr Thomas Aper)

Location
Treibestr. 9
31134 Hildesheim

Equipment

Basic Research Laboratory: Molecular Biology and Biomechanics
Small animal laboratory
Large animal facility
Biomaterial bank: tissue and serum

Certified animal laboratory (commercial) (K)
Cell culture laboratory (E and K)
Corelabs for imaging/laser imaging/biocompatibility testing/biomechanics (E and K)
Electron microscopy (K)
PCR, Western blot, etc. (E and K)
In vitro circulatory simulations for testing cardiovascular implants (E)
All methods available within or via the NIFE

* (E) = in-house, (K) = in cooperation

Staff

3 doctors with research projects
2 teaching assistants
7 PhD students
1 PhD
2 scientists

Research focus areas

Clinical:

The impact of revascularisation procedures on quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease
The impact of structured and guided walking training on physical and mental health
Evaluation of the effectiveness of various arterial revascularisation procedures
Several others in collaboration with Hannover Medical School, the University Medical Centre Göttingen and the University of Hildesheim (Sports Science)

Translational:

Development of bioartificial vascular prostheses based on biological matrix materials
Development of three-dimensional, perfused bioartificial matrix constructs for tissue and organ reconstruction
Development of biofunctionalised cardiovascular implants

MeSH (Medical Subject Headings)

Tissue engineering
Vascular tissue engineering
Vascular graft
Fibrin matrix
Biocompatibility
Adipogenic stem cells, endothelial cells, perfusion, pore formation
vascularisation

Contact person

Prof. Dr. med. Mathias Wilhelmi

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Dr. rer. nat. Sarah Zippusch

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Publications

7 Ongoing PhD theses

6 completed doctoral theses from the last 5 years (2017–2021)

15 completed postdoctoral theses from the last 10 years (2012–2021)

2022

Dmitry Bobylev, Mathias Wilhelmi, Skadi Lau, Melanie Klingenberg, Markus Mlinaric, Elena Petená, Florian Helms, Thomas Hassel, Axel Haverich, Alexander Horke, Ulrike Böer. Pressure-compacted and spider silk-reinforced fibrin demonstrates sufficient biomechanical stability as a cardiac patch in vitro. J Biomater Appl. 2022 Jan;36(6):1126–1136. doi: 10.1177/08853282211046800.
Koop F, Strauß S, Peck CT, Aper T, Wilhelmi M, Hartmann C, Hegermann J, Schipke J, Vogt PM, Bucan V. Preliminary application of native Nephila edulis spider silk and fibrin implant causes granulomatous foreign body reaction in vivo in rat's spinal cord PLoS One. 14 March 2022;17(3):e0264486. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264486

2021

Florian Helms, Axel Haverich, Mathias Wilhelmi, Ulrike Böer. Establishment of a Modular Haemodynamic Simulator for Accurate In Vitro Simulation of Physiological and Pathological Pressure Waveforms in Native and Bioartificial Blood Vessels. Cardiovasc Eng Technol. 23 September 2021. doi: 10.1007/s13239-021-00577-0.
The work was awarded the Günther Haenisch Prize by the Association of North German Surgeons e.V.
Grosse GM, Derda AA, Stauss RD, Neubert L, Jonigk DD, Kühnel MP, Gabriel MM, Schuppner R, Wilhelmi M, Bär C, Bauersachs J, Schrimpf C, Thum T, Weissenborn K. Circulating microRNAs in symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Front Neurol. 24 November 2021;12:755827. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.755827.
Florian Helms, Axel Haverich, Ulrike Böer, Mathias Wilhelmi. Transluminal compression increases mechanical stability, stiffness and endothelialisation capacity of fibrin-based bioartificial blood vessels. Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2021 Dec;124:104835. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104835.
Zippusch S, Besecke KFW, Helms F, Klingenberg M, Lyons A, Behrens P, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M, Ehlert N, Böer U. Chemically induced hypoxia by dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG)-loaded nanoporous silica nanoparticles supports endothelial tube formation by sustained VEGF release from adipose tissue-derived stem cells. Regen Biomater. 14 August 2021;8(5):rbab039. doi: 10.1093/rb/rbab039. The work was awarded the Poster Prize by the German Society for Vascular Surgery – Vascular Medicine e.V.
Saad Rustum, Julia Neuser, Jan Dieter Schmitto, Thomas Aper, Jasmin Sarah Hanke, Axel Haverich, Mathias Wilhelmi. Vascular procedures in patients with left ventricular assist devices: single-centre experience. Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2021. doi.org/10.1007/s12055-021-01192-3
Zippusch S, Helms F, Lau S, Klingenberg M, Schrimpf C, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M, Böer U. Perfusion promotes endothelialised pore formation in high-concentration fibrin gels otherwise unsuitable for tube development. Int J Artif Organs. 2021 Feb;44(2):130-138. doi: 10.1177/0391398820936700. Epub 2 July 2020. PMID: 32611278
Helms F, Lau S, Aper T, Zippusch S, Klingenberg M, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M, Böer U. A 3-layered bioartificial blood vessel with physiological wall architecture generated by mechanical stimulation. Ann Biomed Eng. 22 Jan 2021. doi: 10.1007/s10439-021-02728-9. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33483842

2020

Stauss RD, Grosse GM, Neubert L, Falk CS, Jonigk D, Kühnel MP, Gabriel MM, Schuppner R, Lichtinghagen R, Wilhelmi M, Weissenborn K, Schrimpf C. Distinct systemic cytokine networks in symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Sci Rep. 15 Dec 2020;10(1):21963. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-789418. PMID: 33319833
Debus ES, Gross-Fengels W, Heidemann F, Mahlmann A, Muhl E, Pfister K, Roth S, Stroszczynski C, Walther A, Weiss N, Wilhelmi M, Grundmann RT. Webinar on the S3 guideline for screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Chirurg. 2020 Feb;91(2):167-168. doi: 10.1007/s00104-020-01116-8.
Schrimpf C, Ziesing S, Michelmann P, Rustum S, Teebken OE, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M. Conventional culture diagnostics vs. multiplex PCR for the detection of causative agents of vascular graft infections – results of a single-centre observational pilot study. Vasa. 2020 Jan;49(1):43-49. doi: 10.1024/0301-1526/a000827. Epub 22 Nov 2019.
Helms F, Lau S, Klingenberg M, Aper T, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M, Böer U. Complete myogenic differentiation of adipogenic stem cells requires both biochemical and mechanical stimulation. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020 Mar;48(3):913-926. doi: 10.1007/s10439-019-02234-z. Epub 27 Feb 2019.

2019

Lau S, Klingenberg M, Mrugalla A, Helms F, Sedding D, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M, Böer U. Biochemical Myogenic Differentiation of Adipogenic Stem Cells Is Donor Dependent and Requires Sound Characterisation. Tissue Eng Part A. 2019 Jul;25(13-14):936-948. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2018.0172. Epub 14 June 2019.

2018

Jeinsen N, Mägel L, Jonigk D, Klingenberg M, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M, Böer U. Biocompatibility of Intensified Decellularised Equine Carotid Arteries in a Rat Subcutaneous Implantation Model and in a Human In Vitro Model. Tissue Eng Part A. 2018 Feb;24(3-4):310-321. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2016.0542. Epub 29 June 2017.
Aper T, Wilhelmi M, Boer U, Lau S, Benecke N, Hilfiker A, Haverich A. Dehydration improves the biomechanical strength of bioartificial vascular graft material and allows for its long-term storage. Innov Surg Sci. 23 July 2018;3(3):215-224. doi: 10.1515/iss-2018-0017. eCollection 2018 Sep.
Grosse GM, Bascuñana P, Schulz-Schaeffer WJ, Teebken OE, Wilhelmi M, Worthmann H, Ross TL, Wester HJ, Kropf S, Derlin T, Bengel FM, Bankstahl JP, Weissenborn K. Targeting chemokine receptor CXCR4 and translocator protein for characterisation of high-risk plaque in carotid stenosis ex vivo. Stroke. 2018 Aug;49(8):1988-1991. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.021070.
Lau S, Eicke D, Carvalho Oliveira M, Wiegmann B, Schrimpf C, Haverich A, Blasczyk R, Wilhelmi M, Figueiredo C, Böer U. Low Immunogenic Endothelial Cells Maintain Morphological and Functional Properties Required for Vascular Tissue Engineering. Tissue Eng Part A. 2018 Mar;24(5-6):432-447. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2016.0541. Epub 2017 Dec 19.

2017

Weimar C, Bilbilis K, Rekowski J, Holst T, Beyersdorf F, Breuer M, Dahm M, Diegeler A, Kowalski A, Martens S, Mohr FW, Ondrášek J, Reiter B, Roth P, Seipelt R, Siggelkow M, Steinhoff G, Moritz A, Wilhelmi M, Wimmer-Greinecker G, Diener HC, Jakob H, Ose C, Scherag A, Knipp SC; CABACS Trial Investigators. Safety of Simultaneous Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Randomised Clinical Trial. Stroke. 2017 Oct;48(10):2769-2775. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.117.017570. Epub 15 September 2017.
Schrimpf C, Koppen T, Duffield JS, Böer U, David S, Ziegler W, Haverich A, Teebken OE, Wilhelmi M. TIMP3 is Regulated by Pericytes upon Shear Stress Detection Leading to a Modified Endothelial Cell Response. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2017 Oct;54(4):524-533. doi: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2017.07.002. Epub 2017 Aug 12.
Rustum S, Beckmann E, Wilhelmi M, Krueger H, Kaufeld T, Umminger J, Haverich A, Martens A, Shrestha M. Is the frozen elephant trunk procedure superior to the conventional elephant trunk procedure for completion of the second stage? Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 1 October 2017;52(4):725-732. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezx199.
Kolster M, Wilhelmi M, Schrimpf C, Hilfiker A, Haverich A, Aper T. Outgrowing endothelial and smooth muscle cells for tissue engineering approaches. J Tissue Eng. 15 March 2017;8:2041731417698852. doi: 10.1177/2041731417698852
Böer U, Buettner FF, Schridde A, Klingenberg M, Sarikouch S, Haverich A, Wilhelmi M. Antibody formation against porcine tissue in patients implanted with crosslinked heart valves is directed against antigenic tissue αα proteins and αGal epitopes and is reduced in healthy vegetarian subjects. Xenotransplantation. 18 January 2017.
Hinrichs JB, Murray T, Akin M, Lee M, Brehm MU, Wilhelmi M, Wacker FK, Rodt T. Evaluation of a novel 2D perfusion angiography technique independent of pump injections for assessment of interventional treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2017 Mar;33(3):295-301

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