Group Leader in Stem Cell Science
Honorary Cardiology Fellow in Heart Failure
Laboratory: Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre
Biography
Johannes Bargehr is a Group Leader in Stem Cell Science and holds a BHF Intermediate Clinical Research Fellowship. He also practices as an Honorary Cardiology Fellow in Heart Failure at Royal Papworth and Addenbrooke’s hospitals. He graduated from the University of Innsbruck with a degree in medicine and subsequently completed a PhD degree in the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute with Prof Sanjay Sinha. During his PhD, he spent over a year in the Murry lab at the University of Washington to investigate the regenerative potential of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived epicardial cells in myocardial remuscularisation. Following his PhD, he continued to work as a post-doctoral fellow in the Sinha lab, while completing his cardiology clinical training in Cambridge.
Research
The Bargehr lab uses different immunomodulatory strategies to achieve better grafting efficiency of cardiomyocyte-based cell therapy. This includes the use of broadly immune-evasive hPSC lines that bypass cytotoxic T-cell, NK-cell, antibody-mediated and phagocytic responses, avoiding the need for systemic immunosuppression. Additionally, they are also testing the application of locally drug-eluting microparticles to avoid systemic administration of immunosuppressants. As myocardial infarction generates a hostile environment for cardiomyocyte engraftment, one line of work assesses how the recruitment of regulatory T-cells can result in a favourable modification of the myocardial niche that will allow for greater cardiomyocyte survival.
Finally, they are using 3D-based cardio-immune organoids to model inflammatory cardiomyopathy and investigate opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Publications
Bargehr J et al. Epicardial cells derived from human embryonic stem cells augment cardiomyocyte-driven heart regeneration. Nature Biotechnology. 2019;37(8):895-906.
Colzani M*, Bargehr J* et al. Proinflammatory cytokines in serum driving cardiotoxicity in COVID-19. Cardiovascular Research. 2024;120(2):174-187.
Ong O*, Bargehr J* et al. Epicardially-secreted Fibronectin drives cardiomyocyte maturation in 3D-engineered heart tissues. Stem Cell Reports. 2023;18(4):936-951.
Brevini T et al. FXR inhibition reduces ACE2 expression, SARS-CoV-2 infection and may improve COVID-19 outcome. Nature. 2023;615(7950):134-142.
Sampaziotis F et al. Cholangiocyte organoids can repair bile ducts after transplantation in the human liver. Science. 2021;371(6531):839-846.
Marchiano S et al. SARS-CoV-2 Infects Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes, Impairing Electrical and Mechanical Function. Stem Cell Reports. 2021;16(3):478-492.
Bargehr J et al. Embryological origin of human smooth muscle cells influence their ability to support endothelial network formation. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 2016;5(7):946-59.
