Cardiac Regeneration

Current research projects

• Engineered heart tissue for disease modelling and novel target discovery

  Development of effective new drug candidates that are specific and effective for humans has been severely limited and detailed characterisation of human heart disease is urgently needed. However, this has been largely impeded by the limited access to viable human heart samples and by the cellular heterogeneity of heart tissue. We have established a multicellular cardiac organoid model with an integrated vasculature and autonomic neuronal network. We hypothesise that this multicellular human cardiac organoid, constructed with human induced pluripotent stem cell derivatives, can recapitulate the cellular and microenvironment changes during cardiac injury. This study will establish a pre-clinical human heart tissue model for cardiac disease modelling and drug development that will facilitate animal-to-human translation.

  Stem cell secretome

  Stem cells have the potential to treat heart disease by producing beneficial soluble factors and membrane-bound particles. This project aims to accelerate the development of a new, safe and minimally invasive method to deliver the beneficial proteins of stem cells to patients, using a retrievable encapsulation device that protects the transplanted cells, to allow long-term treatment for effective cardiac repair.

  Therapeutic potential of targeting mitochondrial morphology

  Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells. They are membrane-bound compartments, within the cell, that use nutrients to produce chemical energy to power the cell’s biochemical reactions. One of the processes involved in heart damage is a change in the shape of the mitochondria, which can either join together by the process of fusion or divide into smaller pieces by the process of fission. A protein called Drp1 is needed for mitochondrial fission; blocking Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission can protect against heart damage. However, until recently, there has not been a specific and potent enough inhibitor of Drp1 to develop into an effective drug for humans. We have discovered new drugs that can bind specifically to human Drp1, inhibit mitochondrial division and protect animals from heart damage after heart attack. In this project, we will continue to improve the potency and specificity of these new drugs for heart protection and repair.