5:30pm to 6:30pm |
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Genes, Mutations, and Heart Valve Disease (CANCELLED)
(VTC)
Roger R. Markwald, PhD
Distinguished University Professor
Chair, Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Director, Cardiovascular Developmental Biology Center
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
A public lecture in the Distinguished Scholars Series
Screening the DNA of large multigenerational families has pinpointed two genes - filamin-A (FLNA) and dachsous 1 (DCHS1) - that, when mutated, result in mitral valve prolapse, a common cardiac degenerative disease that often leads to heart failure and is the leading cause of heart valve surgery. Dr. Markwald will discuss the role of FLNA, a cytoskeletal regulatory protein, and DCHS1, a cell polarity gene, which are normally expressed only during normal embryonic valve development. When either of these are mutated significantly, there is a long-term effect on the structural integrity of the heart's mitral valves. This increases the valves' susceptibility to changes in blood flow, inflammatory cytokines, and mechanical forces. Animal models of both mitral valve prolapse genes have provided insights into the pathways regulating valve growth and development, suggesting that so-called adult-onset cardiac diseases may have their roots in embryonic development. This has led to the discovery of new candidate therapeutic targets for early diagnosis and treatment of human heart valve diseases.
Live Webcast: http://research.vtc.vt.edu/live-webcast
A public reception will be held in the VTC Cafe at 5:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Michael J. Friedlander, PhD, Executive Director, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute More information...
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