​Beyond the Heart

​Distinguished Lectures on the Future of Medicine and Health

​Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in industrialized countries, placing cardiovascular medicine at the center of modern healthcare. As such, it is closely connected to numerous medical subspecialties and shaped by technological advances as well as institutional and socioeconomic dynamics.

​The Beyond the Heart lecture series explores topics that transcend cardiovascular medicine and address the future of healthcare and medicine as a whole. The bi-monthly series is hosted by the German Heart Center Foundation at its headquarters at the Charité Campus Virchow Klinikum.

​Apr. 23, 2026 | The Fire Within: Inflamation Fuels
Cardiovascular Disease

​Cardioimmunology is an emerging and important field for future research. The lecture “The Fire Within: Inflammation Fuels Cardiovascular Disease” will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Ingo Hilgendorf, Director of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine at the Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC). In his talk, Prof. Hilgendorf explores the role of inflammatory cells in the development and healing of atherosclerotic and cardiac lesions and how these insights can be translated into therapeutic strategies.

​Prof. Ingo Hilgendorf is a cardiologist and clinical scientist specializing in interventional cardiology and immunocardiology.  After completing his medical studies, he conducted research at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He later served as Deputy Medical Director and Heisenberg Professor of Immunocardiology at the University Medical Center Freiburg. Since 2025, he has been Director of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC).

​Program

​18:00 Doors open

​18:15 Welcome

​18:20 The Fire Within: Inflamation Fuels
Cardiovascular Disease
Prof. Ingo Hilgendorf, MD I DHZC

​19:15 Get-together  
with Drinks  & Finger Food

​20:00 End

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In case you are unable to attend, we kindly ask you to cancel your registration for the event.