Molecular determinants underpinning development of human pluripotent stem cells into cardiomyocytes
The human heart develops very early in the embryo. So it is unsurprising that heart malformations are amongst the leading causes of birth defect-related deaths. Currently, we do not fully understand how, during development, human stem cells (which can become any type of cell in the body) make the decision to become specialised heart cells (cardiomyocytes). Investigating how this process works will help to understand what causes the heart malformations that underlie congenital heart disease. Dr Andreia Sofia Bernardo at the University of Cambridge has been awarded an Intermediate Fellowship to undertake this study using human stem cells, which can be used to mimic heart development. The human heart is different to other mammalian hearts, so human stem cells are an excellent model-system to use to perform this study. This study could give new insights into what causes heart malformations as well as lead to the development of therapeutic strategies for heart disease.
Project details
| Grant amount | £426,593 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Fellowships |
| Application type | Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship |
| Start Date | 01 October 2012 |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Reference | FS/12/37/29516 |
| Status | Complete |
