Our foremost goal is to continue to improve the high level of treatment for our patients. Without scientific research no progress would be made in medicine.
The Department of Congenital Heart Disease – Pediatric Cardiology is meeting this challenge with a number of scientific research projects. Since 2003 we have been working in close cooperation with the Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects and are involved in many of the Competence Network’s studies.
A further area of intensive research is congenital heart defects in adults (grown-up congenital heart, or GUCH patients). The German Heart Center Berlin plays a leading role in many GUCH research projects – with the aim of continuing to optimize the care of these patients. Other projects running in our department are research into the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, special heart catheter techniques and treatment with triple-chamber pacemakers.

Further Research Projects at the Department of Congenital Heart Disease – Pediatric Cardiology:

• Studies on adults have shown that the "corona virus" can also attack the heart and lead to long-term inflammation - even with a mild course of the disease. Doctors at the German Heart Institute in Berlin want to find out whether and how often this is also the case in children. 
• Diagnosis and treatment of the acquired form of pulmonary hypertension in patients with congenital heart defects
• Evaluation of diastolic function disorders in congenital heart disease
• Optimal protection from nervous system damage during heart operations, particularly in newborn children
• Mechanisms of signal transmission in nerve and heart muscle cells in children during artificial cooling (this is applied in some heart operations)
• Clarification of the mechanisms of remodeling processes of the lung and heart that are often associated with congenital heart defects
• Research into the cause and effects of long-term molecular and cellular changes in the vessel bed and heart in patients with congenital heart defects