How embryonic cardiac neural crest cells shape heart growth and repair
Role of the cardiac neural crest in development and regeneration
This project looks at how embryonic 'cardiac neural crest' cells help the heart form and heal, with the goal of helping people with congenital heart defects or heart injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237991 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying a special group of embryonic cells called the cardiac neural crest that can become parts of the heart, using zebrafish and mammalian models. They will use single-cell RNA sequencing and ATAC-seq to map which genes are active and how DNA accessibility changes as these cells take on heart identities. The team will test whether reprogramming other neural crest cells into cardiac-like cells and changing TGFβ-related genes affects heart development and regeneration. Results could point to genes involved in congenital heart defects and ways to boost heart repair after injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People born with structural heart defects or adults recovering from heart injury would be the most likely future candidates for therapies inspired by this work.
Not a fit: People without heart conditions or whose problems are unrelated to developmental or regenerative pathways are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: May identify genes or pathways that could become targets for treating congenital heart defects or promoting heart repair after injury.
How similar studies have performed: Similar molecular and reprogramming approaches have shown promise in zebrafish and other animal models, but translation to mammals and humans is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Pasadena, United States
- California Institute of Technology — Pasadena, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bronner, Marianne — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Bronner, Marianne
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.