Transforming Heart Health Through Regenerative Science: A Dream of Zero Cardiac Arrests

Macrophages hold immense potential in cardiac regenerative therapies due to their ability to modulate inflammation, clear cellular de

reducing fibrosis (Zhao et al., 2021). Using CRISPR/Cas9, researchers have successfully modified genes such as GDA and CD9b to enhance macrophage-mediated tissue remodeling and improve their interactions with epicardial cells (Smith et al., 2023). Targeted delivery systems, like nanoparticles and hydrogels, ensure these engineered macrophages effectively reach damaged cardiac tissue (Chen et al., 2020). These advancements mark significant progress toward macrophage-based immune therapies for treating cardiac injuries.

Summary of My Work
I have successfully generated GDA and CD9b knock-out and knock-in lines using CRISPR/Cas9 and demonstrated their roles in macrophage-mediated cardiac repair. I induced heart injuries in zebrafish to study the phenotypes of these lines and tracked RFP-labeled macrophages using confocal imaging. I analyzed gene expression through RNA sequencing and measured cardiac performance via echocardiography. My research focuses on understanding the crosstalk between macrophages and epicardial cells through GDA and CD9b, aiming to translate these findings into human cardiac regeneration therapies. My ultimate goal is to develop macrophage-based immune therapies to combat heart disease effectively.