Cardioascona 2024

11th International Ascona Workshop on Cardiomyocyte Biology, 26 - 30 May 2024, Ascona

Supported by the Congressi Stefano Franscini

11th International Ascona Workshop on Cardiomyocyte Biology, 26 - 30 May 2024, Ascona

Cardiac disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, often with genetic and developmental origins. Understanding cardiac morphogenesis may therefore allow the prediction of pathologies. Most cardiac diseases are also strongly influenced by environmental factors. Knowledge of the epigenetic regulation of cardiac physiology is therefore also central to understanding heart disease. Launched in 1994, the International Ascona Workshop on Cardiomyocyte Biology is held every three years and attracts world experts in cardiac research to discuss mostly unpublished results. The conference will celebrate its 11th anniversary in 2024. The cardiomyocyte, the basic contractile unit of the heart, is the focus of the conference. We will discuss the latest findings on how cardiomyocytes can be replaced after injury in regenerating species and the extent to which this feature can be mimicked in mammals. This meeting will highlight the epigenetic and epitranscriptomic regulation of cardiac homeostasis and disease. We will also learn how metabolism, the immune system and cardiac fibroblasts influence cardiomyocyte physiology. Our goal is not only to better understand disease pathogenesis, but also to hypothesise potential therapeutic approaches.