EVs have been implicated in cellular signalling in atherosclerosis development. Our laboratory aims to reveal the biophysical properties of plasma derived EVs which can be used as clinically potential tools for dignosis and prognosis in atherosclerosis.
8/01/23
Molecular and cellular mechanisms in the pathophysiology of heart failure
Our research also focuses on better understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases and congenital disease-related heart failure such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). For that purpose, we use animal models that closely mimic human cardiovascular/atherosclerotic conditions or cellular models including patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Cardiac progenitor cells in heart regeneration:
The limited regeneration capacity of the adult mammalian heart increases the risk of heart failure that develops after cardiac damage. The expectation from the progenitor/stem cell-based therapy is that differentiation of the transplanted cells into specialized cardiac cells and/or trigger the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing repair via paracrine effect. But insufficient cell engraftment, late cardiac functional recovery are major concerns in this treatment method.
Stem/progenitor cells also contribute to cardiac repair releasing extracellular vesicles which can lead to angiogenesis and tissue repair. In recent years there has been a huge interest on the using of stem/progenitor cell-derived extracellular vesicles due to their potential therapeutic applications.
We aim to increase transplantation effieciency of both cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and cardiac progenitor cell-derived extracellular vesicles via different approaches.