Dr. med. Alexander Klesen
Clinician Scientist (Optogenetics)Research Interests:
- Mechano-sensitive ion channels in cardiac non-myocytes and immune cells.
- Light-tuneable ion channels in immune cells.
- Echocardiography studies of haemo-mechanics.
Brief CV:
Alexander studied medicine at the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg. He joined Rémi Peyronnet, PhD, and Prof. Ursula Ravens at IEKM for his research on mechano-sensitivity of human fibroblasts full-time in 2017. He obtained his “Dr. med.”-degree in 2020 and his medical approbation in 2021. Now affiliated as a registrar with the Department for Congenital Heart Defects and paediatric Cardiology at the University Clinics Freiburg he re-joined IEKM in 2021 as a Clinician Scientist. He became part of the Optogenetics Group to strengthen his expertise in cellular electrophysiology and to contribute his knowledge on cellular mechano-sensitivity as well as clinical cardiology.
Selected Publications:
- Jakob, D.*, Klesen, A.*, Allegrini, B., Darkow, E., Aria, D., Emig, R., Chica, A. S., Rog-Zielinska, E. A., Guth, T., Beyersdorf, F., Kari, F. A., Proksch, S., Hatem, S. N., Karck, M., Künzel, S. R., Guizouarn, H., Schmidt, C., Kohl, P., Ravens, U., & Peyronnet, R. Piezo1 and BKCa channels in human atrial fibroblasts: Interplay and remodelling in atrial fibrillation. JMCC 2021
- Jakob, D., Klesen, A., Darkow, E., Kari, F. A., Beyersdorf, F., Kohl, P., Ravens, U., & Peyronnet, R. Heterogeneity and Remodeling of Ion Currents in Cultured Right Atrial Fibroblasts From Patients With Sinus Rhythm or Atrial Fibrillation. Front. Physiol.2021
- Klesen, A., Jakob, D., Emig, R., Kohl, P., Ravens, U., & Peyronnet, R. Cardiac fibroblasts. Herzschrittmachertherapie + Elektrophysiologie. 2018