Finding out how faulty heart valves form

Lineage relationships in aortic valve development

Professor Deborah Henderson is studying how heart valves form, and what goes wrong when babies are born with a faulty valve. Abnormalities in heart valves, particularly the aortic valves, are common in babies. Although many cause no problems in early life, they can increase the likelihood of people developing heart diseases in later life. In this project, Professor Henderson will establish where the cells that form the aortic and pulmonary valves come from in the embryo, and whether their origin is linked with specific types of valve abnormality. They aim to understand from their studies which types of abnormalities are most likely to lead to problems in old age. This research, in mice, will help us distinguish between the developmental causes of heart valve defects and tailor our treatments better so that patients receive treatments that are most likely to work.