Regulation of transcription and variant histone deposition by HIRA during heart development
Professor Scambler and his team study how the heart develops in the embryo by investigating the genes involved in normal development. They are particularly interested in what goes wrong in the developing heart to cause congenital heart disease, when babies are born with an abnormal heart. In this project Professor Scambler is studying a specific protein in mice, called HIRA, which may affect normal heart development. As the heart is formed, genes are switched on and off, acting like signals to instruct the different parts of the heart to develop normally. HIRA controls the levels at which genes are switched on or off. Professor Scambler is working out what proteins HIRA interacts with and what genes it controls to get a better idea of its role in heart development. Survival rates for babies born with congenital heart disease have improved dramatically since the BHF was founded. But there is still much to do. By better understanding the role of HIRA, the researchers hope to increase our knowledge of the causes of congenital heart defects which could have impacts on future diagnosis and treatment.
Project details
| Grant amount | £248,939 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 15 July 2015 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/15/6/31211 |
| Status | Complete |
