Laboratory for Veterinary Skeletal Muscle and Cardiac Pathology (MyoCard)

The MyoCard Laboratory integrates diagnostic and research in veterinary skeletal muscle and cardiac pathology, providing a single platform dedicated to understanding diseases of muscle and heart in animals. Our unit combines specialised expertise in muscle pathology with modern approaches, including advanced AI-driven image analysis and molecular techniques, to investigate tissue structure, function, and pathophysiology.

We offer comprehensive diagnostic evaluation of skeletal muscle biopsies and cardiac tissue.
Our service employs a state-of-the-art panel of morphological, histoenzymatic, histochemical and immunohistochemical stains to support accurate diagnosis of diseases such as:
•    Inflammatory myopathies
•    Polysaccharide storage myopathies
•    Muscular dystrophies
•    Metabolic and mitochondrial myopathies
•    Cardiomyopathies
•    Myocarditis
We provide detailed sampling guidelines and tailored diagnostic packages to assist clinicians in selecting the most suitable work-up for each case, ensuring optimal sample quality and reliable interpretation.
 

Our research spans the mechanisms of muscle diseases including cardiomyopathies (such as feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), immune-mediated inflammatory myopathies, metabolic and mitochondrial myopathies, and congenital cardiac disorders.
We integrate classical pathology with innovative technologies, including advanced image analysis, 3D tissue reconstruction and molecular pathology, to advance understanding of muscle and cardiac disease pathogenesis in animals.
 

The MyoCard Laboratory is closely connected to:
•    LAMP (Laboratory for Animal Model Pathology)
•    Veterinary Cardiac Pathophysiology Consortium
•    Internal Medicine Cardiology unit of the Tierspital (UZH)
These collaborations strengthen our translational research mission and support interdisciplinary approaches to muscle and cardiac pathology across species.