Heart Development

The Heart Development group, led by Gert Jan Veenstra, studies molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell differentiation and heart development, focusing on the dynamic changes in heart cells across the different time spans of embryonic development, adult life (disease), and evolution. The group examines heart development in different species and human stem cell-based models to understand fundamental principles of developmental competence and self-organisation, and the relationship between evolution and development. Deep conservation and differences among species are equally instructive to understand the heart better. With clinical partners, we also study tissue remodelling in human heart disease. By studying chromatin, gene regulation, and single cell trajectories, we aim to uncover fundamental biological principles and discover new avenues for treating disease and advancing regenerative medicine. 

• The spectacular development from a single cell into a complex multicellular organism is one of the most fascinating subjects in biology. During cell development and differentiation, epigenetics plays an important role: how genes are marked for activation or repression within the cell nucleus. 
• Research in the Veenstra lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation during early embryonic development and heart development. This work uses human and mouse stem cells as well as frog embryos, combined with DNA sequencing technologies and comparative studies across different model systems. 
• At the core of this research is the question of how cells use genetic and epigenetic information in the context of development, differentiation, and their cellular potential. This research contributes to the understanding of normal and disrupted development, pluripotency, and differentiation, and is relevant for modeling cardiovascular diseases and for the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine.

Go to the external website of Veenstra's group

Publications

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