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The “MATTERHORN Long Term” project compares the long-term therapeutic success of transcatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) with surgical treatment in patients with functional mitral regurgitation. The original MATTERHORN study showed that, after one year, M-TEER was not inferior to surgery. The current project will now examine whether differences in durability, cardiac function, and clinical outcomes emerge over a longer follow-up period.

Stem cell transplantation is an important pillar in the treatment of leukemia. An important prerequisite for a successful treatment is the matching of tissue characteristics between donor and recipient. Minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAs), arising from small genetic differences between donor and recipient and recognized by the immune system, are the key factors that determine how successful a stem cell transplantation is and how serious the side effects are.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that causes progressive disability. Recently, a new drug called tolebrutinib became the first treatment to show success in people with secondary progressive MS without disease activity — a form of the disease for which there were few effective treatment options. While the results are promising, the precise mode of action remains unclear.

The reconstruction of complex defects using free microsurgical flaps is an integral part of modern plastic and reconstructive surgery. Despite success rates of over 95%, flap loss is associated with considerable aesthetic and functional limitations for those affected and often requires multiple reoperations. Against this background, optimizing the safety of free flaps is of immense clinical importance.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in adults. Its clinical course varies widely: while some patients live with stable disease for many years, others experience aggressive progression and early relapse. Despite major advances in targeted therapies, it remains difficult to predict which patients will respond well to treatment and who is at higher risk of disease progression.

Cancer immunotherapies use the body’s own immune cells to fight tumors such as malignant melanoma. A promising approach is adoptive T-cell transfer, in which a patient’s T cells are modified in the laboratory and returned to the body to help target cancer cells. Identifying suitable tumor-specific T cells, however, is technically demanding and time-consuming, which currently limits the broader use of this therapy.

High blood pressure is often caused by excess aldosterone, a hormone from the adrenal glands that regulates salt and water balance. This condition, called primary aldosteronism (PA), may affect one or both glands. The former is typically cured by removing the overactive gland, while the latter requires lifelong medications with significant side effects. Although poorly characterised, recent research suggests small clusters of genetically altered adrenal cells drive the bilateral form.

In 2021, SARS-CoV-2 infections, as well as other lower respiratory tract infections were the leading cause of death worldwide. While effective antibiotics are available for the treatment of bacterial infections, therapeutic options for virus-related respiratory diseases are limited and mostly symptomatic.