Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz

Prof. Dr. Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz is a leading cardiologist and Director of the Department of Internal Medicine I (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pulmonology) at the Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM). His work bridges basic cardiac research and clinical translation, focusing on cardiac regeneration via induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), cardiovascular progenitor cell therapies, and stent innovation. He leads the Munich Heart Alliance within the DZHK and coordinates national/international trials like the ISAR Research Center.

• Educations:
  • M.D. from Berlin, 1996
  • Habilitation at TUM Medical School, 2002
  • Heisenberg Fellowship at UC San Diego (2002–2005)
  • Professorship at Harvard Medical School (2005–2012)
• Research Interests: Cardiac development, gene editing for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, bioengineered heart tissues, anti-restenosis stent coatings, and AI-driven cardiovascular diagnostics.

His research has produced 450+ publications (h-index 52), 8 patents, and major grants including ERC and DFG funding. Clinical work emphasizes stent design, anti-platelet therapies, and molecular imaging of myocardial healing.

• Awards:
  • ERC Principal Investigator Grant (2011)
  • DFG Research Group 923 Leadership (2009–2014)
  • Louis N. Katz Award (2004)

Recent studies focus on AI phenotyping for mitral regurgitation outcomes, gene therapy for heart failure in DMD pigs, and VEGF mRNA myocardial injections during CABG. He also investigates long-term effects of drug-eluting stents and sex-based differences in cardiac outcomes.