Marbacher Lab

Our cerebrovascular research group focuses on the study of sequels of subarachnoid hemorrhage after rupture of saccular intracranial aneurysms, aneurysm wall biology, and endovascular treatment options to prevent aneurysm rupture.
Main objectives and technical expertise are as follows:

  • Delayed cerebral vasospasm (digital subtraction angiography and morphometric analysis of the basilar artery, intrathecal pharmacological therapy) in the single cisterna magna or the blood shunt subarachnoid hemorrhage model.
  • Acute pathophysiology (neuromonitoring) of experimental aneurysm rupture and early brain injury (immunohistochemistry for apoptosis, neurodegeneration, and microthrombosis) in the rabbit blood-shunt subarachnoid hemorrhage model.
  • Endovascular treatment (stent, coil, and biopolymer embolization) of microsurgical saccular and complex bifurcation venous pouch, sidewall, elastase-induced, and decellularized experimental aneurysms (digital subtraction and three-dimensional contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography, aneurysm volumetry, histological analysis) in rats and rabbits.
  • Development and testing of endovascular assisted non-occlusive cerebral bypass modalities.
  • Aneurysm wall biology to elucidate mechanisms involved in development, growth, rupture, and healing of intracranial aneurysms. The ultimate goal is to find a treatment modality that allows reconstituting affected intracranial vessel walls ad integrum.