The Helmholtz Institute for Translational AngioCardioScience in Mannheim/Heidelberg has appointed vascular biologist Karina Yaniv from the Weizmann Institute as its new Scientific Director. Yaniv will bridge research across institutes to fast-track therapies for cardiovascular disease.
The Max Delbrück Center and Heidelberg University in cooperation with the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Karina Yaniv as Scientific Director of Systemic AngioCardioScience at the Helmholtz Institute for Translational AngioCardioScience (HI-TAC) – an external branch of the Max Delbrück Center located at Heidelberg University campus in Mannheim and Heidelberg.
Yaniv will officially assume the role on April 15, 2026, bringing internationally recognized expertise in vascular biology and translational cardiovascular research to HI-TAC. The Max Delbrück Center and Heidelberg University are now in the process of appointing a second HI-TAC Scientific Director for Translational AngioCardioScience in Heidelberg/ Mannheim, who will share directorship duties with Yaniv.
“I am thrilled to be joining HI-TAC at such an exciting stage in its development,” says Yaniv. “The institute offers a unique opportunity to connect fundamental discovery in vascular biology with translational research. I look forward to helping build a vibrant scientific community that can drive new ideas toward clinical impact.”
Yaniv holds a joint appointment as Professor of Vascular and Lymphatic Biology at the Weizmann Institute. Her lab combines genetic, molecular, and imaging approaches to uncover how vascular systems develop, adapt, and interact with their surroundings – and how dysfunction contributes to disease, particularly in cardiovascular disorders and rare vascular malformations.
“HI-TAC is aiming to develop a new scientific program centered on communication biology and is dedicated to understanding cardiovascular functions on a systemic level during homeostasis, aging and pathological conditions,” says Dr. Sergij Goerdt, Dean of the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University. “With Karina Yaniv we now have an outstanding scientist who will build a bridge between basic and translational cardiovascular research and open new avenues to promote longevity. We look forward to welcoming her to our campus in Mannheim.”
At HI-TAC, Yaniv plans to expand her research with a greater focus on translation into clinical applications. In recent years, her lab has been studying vascular malformations, complex disorders that frequently present in childhood and remain difficult to treat. Yaniv plans to model these conditions in zebrafish and screen for new therapies.
“We now understand in greater detail the central role the vascular system plays in health and disease,” she says. “But translation has lagged. The challenge now is to turn this knowledge into better diagnostics, models, and treatments.”
In addition to advancing her own research, Yaniv is also excited about helping to expand a strong, connected vascular biology community in Europe. “I am a community builder. I enjoy bringing people together to work toward a common goal,” she says. In her new role, she wants to recruit outstanding scientists to the center, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration across HI-TAC, and form bridges between the Weizmann Institute, the Max Delbrück Center and Heidelberg University to foster joint research projects and scientific exchange.
“With HI‑TAC, Heidelberg University is strengthening its commitment to internationally leading, translational cardiovascular research by bringing together angioscience and cardioscience in a unique systemic approach,” says Dr. Michael Boutros, Dean of the Medical Faculty Heidelberg of Heidelberg University. “We are delighted and proud to welcome Karina Yaniv to Heidelberg University and to HI-TAC.”
“Karina Yaniv brings a rare combination of deep biological insight and a clear drive to translate it into impact,” adds Dr. Maike Sander, Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center. “Her leadership will help us turn discovery into new strategies to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.”
Dr. Karina Yaniv completed her PhD in developmental biology at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School and conducted postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health in the U. S. before joining the Weizmann Institute in 2009. She is President of the European Vascular Biology Organization and is also among the 2024 winners of a prestigious ERC Synergy Grant, which offers funding of up to €10 million over six years. Her appointment underscores the Max Delbrück Center and Heidelberg University’s commitment to attracting world-leading scientists and strengthening translational biomedical research.
Max Delbrück Center
The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association aims to transform tomorrow’s medicine through our discoveries of today. At locations in Berlin-Buch, Berlin-Mitte, Heidelberg and Mannheim, our researchers harness interdisciplinary collaboration to decipher the complexities of disease at the systems level – from molecules and cells to organs and the entire organism. Through academic, clinical, and industry partnerships, as well as global networks, we strive to translate biological discoveries into applications that enable the early detection of deviations from health, personalize treatment, and ultimately prevent disease. First founded in 1992, the Max Delbrück Center today inspires and nurtures a diverse talent pool of 1,800 people from over 70 countries. We are 90 percent funded by the German federal government and 10 percent by the state of Berlin.
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