Working Group: Hypertension and Molecular Biology of Endocrine Tumors

Hypertension affects more than one billion people worldwide. As the leading risk factor for global disease burden, it contributes to more than nine million deaths annually. The mission of the Scholl group is the discovery and characterization of novel mechanisms underlying human disease. We focus on genetic causes of childhood hypertension and hypertension caused by hormone-producing tumors. We combine state-of-the-art genomics technology (exome capture and next-generation sequencing; single-cell RNA sequencing) with mainstay techniques of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry and physiology (electrophysiology, calcium imaging) to identify and characterize new genes and networks in human biology. A long-term goal is to develop pharmacological inhibitors that interfere with these processes to improve future therapy.