Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies. Our lab is focused on harnessing the body’s intrinsic repair mechanisms to develop effective, accessible treatments for heart disease. Inspired by the remarkable regenerative capacity of the neonatal heart—an ability that is lost shortly after birth—we explore novel approaches to reactivate these pathways in the adult heart. 

Cardiac fibrosis is a key driver of heart disease, leading to stiffness and dysfunction due to excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Our lab investigates hot and cold fibrosis, two distinct fibrotic states. Hot fibrosis is inflammatory and dynamic, seen in acute injury, while cold fibrosis is stable and scar-like, common in chronic heart failure.

By studying these mechanisms, we aim to develop targeted therapies that modulate fibrosis, promote cardiac repair, and improve patient outcomes.

This research focuses on reactivating the heart’s regenerative capacity by modulating immune responses after injury. Drawing inspiration from the neonatal heart, which naturally regenerates, we study how immune cells influence cardiac repair versus fibrosis. 

Using advanced molecular tools and repurposed drugs like Copaxone, our goal is to develop safe, accessible therapies that promote true regeneration in adult hearts, offering new hope for treating myocardial infarction and heart failure.