Simon Libak Haugaard

Research profile

As an equine vet and cardiac researcher, I seek to combine my two fields of interest to explore the structural cardiac remodeling during atrial fibrillation. I have a background as an equestrian, and after graduating from the University of Copenhagen in 2021 I spent a year at a horse referral facility in southern England as a house vet (intern) dealing with most aspects of equine medicine.  

In April 2022 I was granted a scholarship by the Danish Cardiovascular Academy and returned to Copenhagen as a PhD fellow. Using the horse as an animal model of atrial fibrillation, I study how one of the most abundant types of cells in the heart, namely the fibroblasts, are involved in the pathogenesis of AF. Furthermore, I investigate whether treatment with the antidiabetic drug metformin can inhibit the activation of fibroblasts and decreases fibrosis formation during AF.  

I hope that this research will lead to an in-depth characterization of the structural remodeling of the heart during atrial fibrillation, and maybe also drive the discovery of anti-fibrotic targets that can benefit the human and the horse population. Working with translational medicine, I’m always on the lookout for collaboration with other clinical and basic researchers.