The focus of our research is to understand the role of stem cells in the developing heart and in the adult heart after injury.
Clonal analysis to determine the proliferative capacity of cardiac cells during development and after injury. We take this approach to investigate:
1) cells types responsible for proliferation during development, 2) the extent of cellular expansion during development, and 3) the time period that governs the proliferative characteristics of precursor cells in the heart. We use genetically modified mice, lineage tracing and fate mapping, and mathematical models.
The origin of cardiac fibroblasts. We use transgenic mouse models to identify the developmental origin of cardiac fibroblast. In addition, we are interested in determining whether the heterogeneity of cardiac fibroblasts has a role in differential response to cardiac injury.
Identification of novel surface markers for purification of pluripotent stem cell (PCS)-derived cardiovascular progenitors (CVPs). We use both human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells to differentiate towards cardiovascular lineage. We seek to identify surface markers that can be used to prospectively isolate progenitors capable of engraftment into the injured heart.
Translational application of PSC-derived cardiovascular progenitors for regenerative purposes. Using a variety of invasive and non-invasive imaging modalities, we are investigating the potential electromechanical integration of PSC-derived cardiac cells into the injured hearts of large animals. Our long-term goal is to utilize the preclinical data obtained in these studies for future clinical trials of PSC-derived CVPs to treat heart disease.