Göttinger Graduiertenzentrum für Neurowissenschaften, Biophysik und Molekulare Biowissenschaften

Cyganek, Lukas, Dr. rer. nat.

Independent Group Leader, Stem Cell Unit, University Medical Center Göttingen
Independent Group Leader, iPSC Disease Models, Fraunhofer ITMP-TNM, Göttingen


  • Since 2024: Independent Group Leader, Fraunhofer ITMP-TNM, Göttingen
  • Since 2015: Independent Group Leader and Head of the Stem Cell Unit, University Medical Center Göttingen
  • 2013–2015: Postdoctoral Researcher, Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Göttingen
  • 2009–2012: Doctoral Program “Molecular Physiology of the Brain”, Georg-August University Göttingen; Dr. rer. nat.
  • 2004–2009: Studies for the teaching degree for secondary schools in Chemistry and Biology, Georg-August University Göttingen; First State Examination




Major Research Interests

Our research focuses on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models, CRISPR/Cas-based genome engineering, and the translation of disease mechanisms into targeted therapeutic strategies. Over the past decade, we have established a large iPSC and genome-engineering platform comprising more than 500 characterized patient-derived and genome-edited iPSC lines and variant models, including more than 260 CRISPR-engineered models. This platform combines patient-specific and isogenic models with directed differentiation into cardiovascular and neuronal cell types, including defined neuronal subtypes, as well as advanced 2D and 3D systems such as engineered cardiac tissues and brain organoids.
A major focus is the development and preclinical evaluation of genome-editing therapies, including CRISPR/Cas-based correction strategies, base editing, and AAV-mediated in vivo genome therapy. Human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, neuronal models, and engineered tissues are used as disease-relevant platforms to assess editing efficiency, functional rescue, and genomic safety before translation toward in vivo applications. Current therapeutic programs include RASopathies, titin-associated cardiomyopathies, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In parallel, we develop pharmacological treatment strategies and phenotypic drug-screening platforms based on patient-derived human models. Our work increasingly extends into neurodevelopmental and mitochondrial disorders, using defined neuronal cultures and brain organoids to investigate disease mechanisms and therapeutic responses. By integrating disease modeling, genome engineering, advanced human cell and tissue models, pharmacological intervention, and preclinical validation, our research aims to establish a translational pipeline from human disease mechanism to therapeutic development.


Homepage Department / Research Group

https://www.umg.eu/scu/
https://www.itmp.fraunhofer.de/de/institut/standorte/goettingen/praeklinische-forschung.html


Selected Recent Publications


  • Fell J, Pavez-Giani M, Koitka F, Kensah G, Santos GL, van der Vorst EPC, Lenz C, Salinas G, Busley AV, Fedorenko A, Hindmarsh R, Wolf CM, Lutz S, Hasenfuss G, Zimmermann WH, Wollnik B, Cyganek L. Targeting Interleukin-8 mediated cellular crosstalk reverses hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac fibrosis in Noonan syndrome. Circulation. 2026. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.074155
  • Busley AV, Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez Ó, Hammer E, Koitka K, Mirzaiebadizi M, Steinegger M, Pape C, Böhmer B, Schroeder H, Kleinsorge M, Engler M, Cirstea IC, Gremer L, Willbold D, Altmüller J, Marbach F, Hasenfuss G, Zimmermann WH, Ahmadian MR, Wollnik B, Cyganek L. Mutation-induced LZTR1 polymerization provokes cardiac pathology in recessive Noonan syndrome. Cell Rep. 2024; 43(7): 114448. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114448
  • Knauer C, Haltern H, Schoger E, Kügler S, Roos L, Zelarayán LC, Hasenfuss G, Zimmermann WH, Wollnik B, Cyganek L. Preclinical evaluation of CRISPR-based therapies for Noonan syndrome caused by deep-intronic LZTR1 variants. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2024; 35(1):102123. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102123
  • Fomin A, Gärtner A, Cyganek L, Tiburcy M, Tuleta I, Wellers L, Folsche L, Hobbach AJ, von Frieling-Salewsky M, Unger A, Hucke A, Koser F, Kassner A, Sielemann K, Streckfuß-Bömeke K, Hasenfuss G, Goedel A, Laugwitz KL, Moretti A, Gummert JF, Dos Remedios CG, Reinecke H, Knöll R, van Heesch S, Hubner N, Zimmermann WH, Milting H, Linke WA. Truncated titin proteins and titin haploinsufficiency are targets for functional recovery in human cardiomyopathy due to TTN mutations. Sci Transl Med. 2021; 13(618): eabd3079. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abd3079
  • El-Battrawy I*, Lan H*, Cyganek L*, Maywald L*, Zhong R, Zhang F, Xu Q, Lee J, Duperrex E, Hierlemann A, Saguner AM, Duru F, Kovacs B, Huang M, Liao Z, Albers S, Müller J, Dinkel H, Rose L, Hohn A, Yang Z, Qiao L, Li Y, Lang S, Kleinsorge M, Mügge A, Aweimer A, Fan X, Diecke S, Akin I, Li G, Zhou X. Deciphering the pathogenic role of a variant with uncertain significance for short QT and Brugada syndromes using gene-edited human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and preclinical drug screening. Clin Transl Med. 2021; 11(12): e646. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.646
  • Hanses U, Kleinsorge M, Roos L, Yigit G, Li Y, Barbarics B, El-Battrawy I, Lan H, Tiburcy M, Hindmarsh R, Lenz C, Salinas G, Diecke S, Müller C, Adham I, Altmüller J, Nürnberg P, Paul T, Zimmermann WH, Hasenfuss G, Wollnik B, Cyganek L. Intronic CRISPR Repair in a Preclinical Model of Noonan Syndrome-Associated Cardiomyopathy. Circulation. 2020; 142(11): 1059-1076. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.044794
  • Kleinsorge M, Cyganek L. Subtype-Directed Differentiation of Human iPSCs into Atrial and Ventricular Cardiomyocytes. STAR Protoc. 2020; 1(1): 100026. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100026
  • Cyganek L, Tiburcy M, Sekeres K, Gerstenberg K, Bohnenberger H, Lenz C, Henze S, Stauske M, Salinas G, Zimmermann WH, Hasenfuss G, Guan K. Deep phenotyping of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes. JCI Insight. 2018; 3(12): e99941. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.99941