This is a very short video but so incredibly moving in its simplicity.
This “heart -In – A- Jar” as we like to affectionately call out stem cell hearts are a major step forward in understanding the complex genetic pathways and the mechanisms by which the genes identified by Dr Amrit Lota, one of our research fellows, are associated with heart failure or sudden death in patients with acute myocarditis and how they affect the heart when affected by myocarditis. This is the first step in taking the identified genetic markers identified in Dr Amrit Lota’s previous research that can tell us who will be ok, who will need to be monitored, and who is a high risk patient needing close attention and monitoring when affected by myocarditis. Identifying these genetic markers has been a major breakthrough and this research paper, published in October 2022, has had global reach and major endorsement and interaction by the American Heart Association and read by leading cardiologists across the globe.
We use skin cells taken from patients (with their permission) that we have then converted into heart cells – a process called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. The gene defects and markers identified above will be introduced into these heart cells allowing us to test on fully beating “hearts” in an ethical and controlled environment. In taking these genetic markers and placing them in our stem cell hearts, we can begin to follow the pathways of targeted drug treatments and one day, we will be able to “switch off” certain pathways giving not only a cure to those with myocarditis but also treating hearts that would previously be fatally damaged and beyond saving without a heart transplant.
A short and simple video yes. BUT a huge impact on saving lives – after all, it not for nothing that we have the motto: Finding Tomorrows Cures Today.
