AG Noels – Experimental cardiovascular pathobiochemistry

Prof. Dr. Heidi Noels is leading the research group “Experimental cardiovascular pathobiochemistry” within the Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research of the Uniklinik RWTH Aachen. Her group focuses on the identification and characterization of pathological inflammatory mechanisms underlying the development of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction. Previous work resulted in the characterization of the role of chemokine receptors and their ligands in regulating inflammatory processes in atherosclerosis. Also, novel insights were revealed in signaling molecules affecting inflammation and atherosclerosis by influencing the transcription factor NF-kB, a key regulator of inflammation. Recent work includes the study of mediators and mechanisms that underlie the highly increased risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This includes the study of platelet activation in CKD and pathological mechanisms underlying uremic cardiomyopathy and detrimental cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction. The aim is to support novel therapies to reduce the cardiovascular burden.

For her research, Prof. Noels received the W.H. Hauss Award of the German Atherosclerosis Society (2018) as well as the Werner Risau Award in Vascular Biology, an Early Career Investigator Award awarded by the ATVB journal (2015).

Beyond research, Prof. Noels is also involved in teaching in the Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen, where Prof. Noels heads the qualification profile “Organ crosstalk & comorbidities” for medical students.

Furthermore, Prof. Noels is Managing Director of the Transregional Collaborative Research Consortium SFB/TRR219 funded by the German Research Foundation (2018-2029) and coordinates two DFG-funded graduate schools (SFB/TRR219; CRC1739). Previously, she was Co-Coordinator of the international Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Network “CaReSyAn” (2018-2021).

Prof. Noels holds an honorary affiliation in the Biochemistry Department of the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CARIM) of Maastricht University, characterizing the close cooperation between both universities. In Maastricht, she coordinates the international MSCA Doctoral Network LipidBRIGHT (2026-2030). 

Prof. Noels completed her habilitation and received the venia legendi in ‘Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine’ (Priv.-Doz.) at the RWTH Aachen in 2021. In 2026, she was awarded an honorary Professorship (Apl.) at the RWTH Aachen.