Ashraf Rangrez | Molecular Cardiology | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Ashraf Rangrez | Molecular Cardiology | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ashraf Rangrez, Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Ashraf Yusuf Rangrez is a leading cardiovascular and molecular biology researcher currently serving as Senior Group Leader at the Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Germany. With a deep commitment to translational science, Dr. Rangrez’s work intersects molecular cardiology, autophagy, chromatin remodeling, and host-microbiome interactions. He completed his PhD in Biotechnology in 2011 and earned his Habilitation in 2018 at Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel. His extensive publication record in top-tier journals and innovative contributions to heart failure and cardiac remodeling research have earned him numerous accolades, including travel grants from the American Heart Association and a DAAD Fellowship. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, he successfully established his research lab in Heidelberg. His work is paving the way for novel molecular diagnostics and therapies in cardiovascular medicine.

Publication Profile: 

Google Scholar 

Scopus

Orcid

✅ Strengths for the Award:

  1. 📚 Outstanding Publication Record:

    • Published in high-impact journals such as Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (IF 52.7), Nature Communications (IF 15.7), Circulation (IF 37.8), and Cell Metabolism (IF 17.565).

    • Demonstrates consistent scholarly productivity with first-author and corresponding-author roles in several major publications.

  2. 🔬 Cutting-Edge Research Themes:

    • His work bridges molecular cardiology, ubiquitin signaling, chromatin remodeling, and host-microbiome interactions, which are critical frontiers in precision medicine and cardiovascular disease.

    • Recent contributions on TRIM24, FYCO1, and HectD3 show clear translational relevance for heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy.

  3. 🧪 Leadership & Resilience:

    • Successfully established and led a research group during the COVID-19 pandemic despite massive logistical setbacks—a mark of determination and leadership.

    • Currently holds the role of Senior Group Leader at the prestigious University Hospital of Heidelberg, overseeing multiple projects and mentoring young researchers.

  4. 🎖 Academic Recognition:

    • Recipient of Young Investigator Awards from both the American Heart Association and Basic Cardiovascular Society.

    • Awarded a DAAD Fellowship, indicating international recognition of academic excellence early in his career.

  5. 🌍 Interdisciplinary and International Exposure:

    • PhD collaboration between India and Germany through a DAAD Sandwich Fellowship shows global collaboration and a diverse academic background.

    • Actively collaborates with renowned scientists across Europe and North America.

📌 Areas for Improvement:

📣 Expand International Visibility:

Participation as keynote speaker or chair in more global symposia could further cement his thought leadership role.
Greater involvement in editorial boards or as a guest editor for top journals would strengthen his academic influence.
💼 Strengthen Industry Partnerships:

Increased collaboration with biotech/pharma industries could help translate some of his molecular discoveries into clinical or commercial therapies.
📊 Grant Funding Scale-up:

While he leads group-level projects, targeting larger European or Horizon Europe consortia could amplify his lab’s impact and resources.

 

🎓 Education:

Dr. Rangrez holds a PhD in Biotechnology (2011), conducted jointly at the National Centre for Cell Science (India) and Technical University of Berlin (Germany) under a prestigious DAAD Sandwich Fellowship. His doctoral work focused on microbial biotechnology and gene expression profiling. In 2018, he obtained his Habilitation and Venia Legendi in Molecular Medicine at Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Norbert Frey. This qualification marked his academic independence and enabled him to lecture at the university level. His multidisciplinary academic formation bridges life sciences, translational medicine, and molecular cardiology, forming a strong foundation for his current cardiovascular and molecular research endeavors.

💼 Professional Experience:

Currently a Senior Group Leader at University Hospital Heidelberg’s Department of Cardiology, Dr. Rangrez leads research at the interface of cardiac biology and systems medicine. He has previously conducted postdoctoral research in molecular cardiology and worked with key figures in cardiovascular medicine, including Prof. Norbert Frey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he overcame logistical and infrastructural hurdles to establish a fully operational laboratory, demonstrating high resilience and leadership. His responsibilities include mentoring junior researchers, managing complex scientific collaborations, and leading grant-funded projects. Dr. Rangrez’s experience spans over a decade and includes cutting-edge research in chromatin remodeling, cardiac hypertrophy, autophagy, and the microbiome. His career is marked by a deep commitment to translational science and a consistent trajectory of scientific excellence.

🔬 Research Focus:

Dr. Rangrez’s research centers on cardiac remodeling, heart failure, chromatin regulation, autophagy, and the microbiome’s role in cardiovascular disease. His group investigates cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis using integrative multi-omics, imaging, and animal models. A major theme of his work is understanding ubiquitin ligases and TRIM proteins in heart disease and exploring how chromatin remodelers like TRIM24 affect gene expression and calcium signaling in cardiomyocytes. Recently, he has expanded into host-microbiome interactions and their influence on cardiovascular health, paving the way for novel diagnostics and personalized medicine. His interdisciplinary approach blends molecular biology, systems medicine, and clinical cardiology. His group also explores exercise-induced regeneration in aging hearts and mechanistic studies on gene-environment interactions in heart failure progression.

📚 Publications Top Notes:

🧬 TRIM24 regulates chromatin remodeling and calcium dynamics in cardiomyocytes – Cell Commun Signal (2025)
🧭 A cross-study transcriptional patient map of heart failure defines conserved multicellular coordination – Nat Comm (2025)
🧫 A systematic framework for understanding the microbiome in human health and disease – STTT (2024)
🏃‍♂️ Restoration of Cardiomyogenesis in Aged Mouse Hearts by Voluntary Exercise – Circulation (2022)
🔁 FYCO1 regulates cardiomyocyte autophagy and prevents heart failure in vivo – JACC BTS (2021)
🛡️ The E3 ubiquitin ligase HectD3 attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation – Commun Biol (2020)
⚖️ TRIM24 promotes and TRIM32 inhibits cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via dysbindin regulation – J Biol Chem (2017)
💓 Myoscape controls cardiac calcium cycling via L-type Ca2+ channel regulation – Nat Comm (2016)
🚨 Dysbindin is a potent inducer of RhoA-SRF-mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy – J Cell Biol (2013)
🧪 Adiponutrin functions as a nutritionally regulated LPA acyltransferase – Cell Metab (2012)

🧾 Conclusion:

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Ashraf Yusuf Rangrez stands out as a dedicated, innovative, and resilient researcher whose work has had substantial influence on cardiovascular science, especially in the areas of cardiac remodeling, chromatin biology, and autophagy. He combines academic rigor, leadership under pressure, and translational impact. Given his exceptional publication record, international collaborations, and scientific contributions to cardiac and molecular medicine, he is an ideal candidate for the Best Researcher Award.