Department of Cardiology

Inselspital Bern

The Department is a leading tertiary care center for the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases. In addition to the medical services, the Department has a strong footprint in research, education, and training. Extending from translational to clinical research, research projects and studies are carried out across the entire spectrum of cardiology.

To the Inselspital website

Director and Chief Physician

Prof. Dr. med. Stephan Windecker

Profile

  • Teaching at multiple levels: clinical specialist training, undergraduate and graduate students, supervision of MD, Master and PhD students.
  • Continuing medical education events (Fokus Herz Bern).
  • A broad range of clinical research activities, encompassing investigations of pharmacological therapies and medical devices for the treatment of coronary artery disease, thromboembolic disease, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias, and heart failure. Research in cardiac multimodality imaging methods including CT, MRI, and echocardiography.
  • Translational research (cardiac electrophysiology, arterial hypertension).

External Partners

Cardiology departments at tertiary care centers in Switzerland and abroad, Department of Clinical Research Bern, CVRC, ETH, CSEM, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), University of Oxford, University Hospital Basel, CHUV, industry partners

Grants

  • SNSF Grant “PREVENT Effectiveness of an integrated program for the prevention of rheumatic heart disease in endemic regions: an incomplete stepped wedge cluster randomized trial”, Prof. T. Pilgrim
  • SNSF Starting Grant TMSGI3_218454 / 1 – “ACTT – Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: Investigation of new mechanisms and therapeutic targets”, Prof. C. Schinner
  • SNSF Grant 33IC30_213615 / ELAPSE “Early closure of left atrial appendage for patients with atrial fibrillation and ischaemic stroke despite anticoagulation therapy”, Prof. L. Räber.
  • SNSF Grant 10.001.261 PIFPAF "Pulmonary Vein Isolation with Pulsed-Field Ablation with versus without Posterior Wall Ablation in Patients with Symptomatic Persistent Atrial Fibrillation – A Multi-Center Randomized Clinical Trial", Prof. T. Reichlin
  • SNSF Grant 320038_189077 / 1 “Incidence of silent atrial fibrillation in patients with silent brain infarction - Silent2 Study”, Prof. L. Roten
  • SNSF Grant 407940_206520/1 “- HeartX: Decoding cardiac regulatory landscapes in an all-human model for cardiogenesis”, Dr. C. Zuppinger
  • Swiss Heart Foundation, supported by GCRFF-endorsed grants “NAVIGATE_Bicuspid Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation vs surgical Aortic valve replacement in patients with Bicuspid aortic valve stenosis”, Prof. M. Siepe, Prof. S. Windecker
  • BPCM Lighthouse Project “Precision diagnosis and therapy in cardiac channelopathies (PACE)”, Prof. K Odening, Prof. C Zweier, Prof. N. Mercader, Prof. J-L Reymond, Prof. M. Osterwalder
  • CSEM – Kanton Bern –University of Bern - Insel Gruppe AG Grant «Longitudinal proof-of-concept study for the long-term monitoring of blood pressure LONGBP”, PD Dr. E. Rexhaj
  • CSEM – Kanton Bern –University of Bern - Insel Gruppe AG Grant “Enhanced Cardiac Arrhythmia Screening in Ambulatory Conditions Using Optical Signals”, PD Dr. E. Rexhaj
  • Swiss Heart Foundation (FF23069): Automated Detection of Coronary Artery Anomalies in Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography and Correlation of Different Variants with Clinical Outcomes, Prof. C. Gräni
  • Novartis Foundation #23B108 “Outcome prediction of patients with coronary artery anomalies detected in coronary computed tomography”, Prof. C. Gräni
  • Fondation Schmieder – Bohrisch, Hemodynamic Relevance Evaluation of Coronary Artery Anomaly during Rest and Stress in a Physical Artificial Twin Flow-Loop, Prof. C. Gräni
  • Monsol Foundation Grant “PREVENT Effectiveness of an integrated program for the prevention of rheumatic heart disease in endemic regions: an incomplete stepped wedge cluster randomized trial”, Prof. T. Pilgrim
  • Non-Profit GAMBIT Grant Foundation, “Artificial Intelligence in Multimodal Cardiac Imaging”, Prof. C. Gräni
  • Gottfried and Julia Bangeter-Rhyner Foundation, “Artificial Intelligence in Multimodal Cardiac Imaging”, Prof. C. Gräni

Highlights 2025

For the first time, gene therapy corrects a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia in an animal model

Researchers at Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and the University of Bern, in collaboration with researchers at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA, have developed and tested a novel gene therapy that successfully corrects a lifethreatening genetic cardiac arrhythmia in an animal model. The procedure restores the normal function of the affected cardiac ion channel and opens up new perspectives for the future treatment of both rare and common cardiac arrhythmias.

Nimani et al., Eur Heart J. 2025

More effective treatment for atrial fibrillation: novel ablation method shows promising results

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide. While existing interventional treatment methods, such as catheter ablation, work better than medication, they still have their limitations and risks. In a recent study led by Prof. Tobias Reichlin and the teams of the Inselspital Bern and the University Hospital Basel, a new treatment method is now showing promising results: Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) achieves a higher success rate than conventional catheter ablation, with fewer arrhythmia recurrences , while also offering a high degree of safety and a shorter procedure time.

Reichlin et al., N Engl J Med. 2025

AI-based detection and classification of anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries using coronary CT angiography images

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (AAOCA) is a rare cardiac condition that can lead to ischemia or sudden cardiac death, yet it is often overlooked or falsely classified in routine coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Here, we developed, validated, externally tested, and clinically evaluated a fully automated artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool for detecting and classifying AAOCA in 3D-CCTA images. 

Shiri et al., Nat Commun. 2025

3-Year Clinical Outcomes Comparing the Amulet vs Watchman FLX for Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Results From the SWISS-APERO Randomized Clinical Trial

The only trial directly comparing the latest generation of the two FDA approved left atrial appendage occlusion devices (Watchman FLX and Amulet) compared clinical outcomes at 3 years after implantation and found trends towards less ischemic risk folllowing the Amulet as compared to the Watchman device. 

Galea et al., J Am Coll Cardiol. 2025

Colchicine in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a double-blind randomized trial

An inflammatory process may increase the risk of arrhythmias after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). In this single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial we investigated the efficacy of colchicine to reduce a composite of new-onset atrial fibrillation or atrioventricular conduction disturbances requiring the implantation of a permanent pacemaker at 30 days after TAVR. 

Ryffel et al., Nat Commun. 2025