Every heartbeat relies on billions of heart cells contracting and communicating in perfect harmony. In heart disease, this delicate coordination is disrupted and it compromises the ability of the heart to beat properly. Our aim is to understand what goes wrong inside diseased heart cells and identify the mechanisms responsible. By uncovering these changes, we work to develop new strategies to restore the heart rhythm and function, paving the way towards better treatments for patients.
reNEW research
In the Bellin lab at reNEW Leiden, we use induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), human adult cells reprogrammed to become virtually any cell type, and turn them into beating heart cells to recreate key features of the human heart in the lab. Using precise gene editing, we introduce or correct disease-linked mutations, creating powerful models to study their effects. We then combine advanced imaging and functional tests to reveal how these changes affect how heart cells beat, connect and respond to treatment.
Image description
Heart cells from stem cells with highly organized contractile (red) and electrically connecting structures (green).
Credits
Dr. Viviana Meraviglia, Senior Researcher, Bellin lab, reNEW Leiden.
