Heart valve disease is a growing global health challenge, with treatment often involving surgical intervention. However, many current implant options face limited durability as they cannot mimic the natural valve. Our research uses stem cells to engineer human heart valve tissues, with the aim of creating patient-specific valves that can grow and function like natural heart valves.
Impact
Current heart valve implants lack durability and are overly burdensome, due to their inability to match the patient’s body. This is especially evident in children, who may need up to six replacement surgeries as they outgrow their implants. Using stem cells, we aim to engineer a living heart valve which can be tailored to and change with the patient, easing the lifelong challenges they face.
reNEW research
Dr. Holly Voges and her team have previously generated stem-cell-derived valve cells and used these to produce heart valve tissues grown in the lab. We are now exploring the effects of mechanical stimulation on these tissues, especially the effects on strength and elasticity, in an effort to obtain tissues which more faithfully replicate the valves of the human heart.
Image description
Stem-cell-derived valve interstitial cells. These are the main cell type of the heart valve, responsible for its maintenance. These will be used to engineer the living heart valve tissues.
Credits
Adriano Morandini, Honours Student, Jessica Durrant-Whyte, Research Assistant, Porrello Lab, reNEW Melbourne.
