Nicola Smart - Development & Cell Biology - 'Developmental insights for cardiac regeneration'

We investigate mechanisms of embryonic heart formation to inform novel strategies for regenerating the adult mammalian heart, for example after myocardial infarction. We have a particular interest in how the outer layer epicardium stimulates new coronary vessel growth and myocardial maturation, both in development and disease. Following injury, there is a partial recapitulation of embryonic processes that drive coronary vessel growth, yet fundamental differences in the regulatory pathways limit the efficacy of the adult response. Comparative analyses allow us to identify key mechanisms that may be targeted in the adult mammalian heart to enhance repair. Current projects focus on mechanisms controlling the transition of the epicardium from active (embryonic) to quiescent (adult) state, as well as the signalling pathways through which the embryonic epicardium stimulates expansion of the coronary vasculature. Our research in murine models is complemented with bioinformatic analyses and in vitro human cell-based models of development and disease.