Regeneration of the Cardiac Conduction System

The heart's rhythmic contraction and relaxation cycle is controlled by specialised cells embedded in the muscle wall that make up the cardiac conduction system. Heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death in the world and occur when a coronary artery is blocked resulting in cell death and loss of a large portion of heart muscle. The lost muscle is replaced by non-contractile scar and heart function is compromised. The cycles of contraction and relaxation are also compromised, leading to heart rhythm disorders. Also known as cardiac arrhythmias, these rhythm disorders are common and significantly increase mortality risk for patients who have survived a heart attack. However, the mechanisms underpinning arrhythmogenesis, and how the cardiac conduction system is remodelled after a heart attack, remain poorly understood. My research investigates the molecular and cellular response of the cardiac conduction system to heart injury in mouse models that fully restore their heart tissue in early life, but undergo scar formation and pathological remodelling at later adult stages.