Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide. The University of Würzburg is therefore researching customised therapies based on RNA. Funding totalling 250,000 euros has now been awarded for this.
They are the most common cause of death worldwide: cardiovascular diseases. Despite this, there has only been limited progress in their research and treatment in recent decades. A research project involving the University of Würzburg (JMU) called "curATime" now aims to change this. This is a forward-looking research network from the Rhine-Main-Palatinate region in which experts from science and industry are pooling their expertise.
The common goal: to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern immunological methods to develop customised treatment methods and preventative concepts in order to significantly reduce the mortality rate from heart attacks and strokes caused by cardiovascular diseases.
The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is supporting this project in the second implementation phase from 2026 to 2029 with a total of 15 million euros. Once again, a quarter of a million will go to Professor Lutz Nuhn's Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry in Würzburg.
Precise drug taxis: nanotransporters from Würzburg
"In our sub-project, we are focussing on so-called nanocarriers," explains the scientist. "These are tiny transport capsules made of special plastics (polymers) that are designed to deliver medical agents directly to their destination in the body. They serve as a kind of 'packaging' for RNA, ribonucleic acid, which can be used therapeutically." This RNA can be thought of as a biological blueprint that gives the body's cells instructions on how to defend themselves against a disease - a principle that is already known from modern vaccines, for example.
The special feature of the Würzburg development is that the capsules are designed in such a way that they can be broken down by the body without leaving any residue once the work is done and can be specifically adapted to the needs of different patient groups.
Artificial Intelligence meets modern cell biology
What is new about curATime's research approach is the close integration of state-of-the-art computer technology and biomedicine. A total of 17 different joint projects are investigating how cardiovascular diseases can be better understood - for example atherothrombosis. Atherothrombosis, for example, is a condition in which vascular deposits cause blockages in vital arteries, which can be fatal.
With the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the scientists are analysing huge amounts of data from population studies. Among other things, the aim is to find individual characteristics (biomarkers) that reveal at an early stage whether a person is at high risk of vascular disease. "Our curATherapy sub-project is intended to act as a link between data-driven discovery and preclinical validation," explains Nuhn. "This means that the findings obtained on the computer are tested directly in the laboratory for their effectiveness in order to prepare them more quickly for application in humans."
From the lab to everyday clinical practice
The long-term goal of curATime is personalised therapy: instead of treating all patients with the same medication, the aim is to develop customised solutions that are tailored to the individual needs of patients. The vision is a significant improvement in quality of life and a noticeable reduction in the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease.
The need for research remains high - even after this funding phase - as the transfer of laboratory results into real medical care is a complex process. Nevertheless, the combination of the Würzburg transport systems and the AI-supported analyses of the partners in Mainz and Kaiserslautern offers the opportunity to change cardiovascular medicine in the long term and to strengthen Germany as a research location in international competition.
