Understanding the role of mechanics in heart development
The heart is the first organ that forms during embryogenesis. It initially begins functioning by pumping blood in a valveless 'straight' tube. Through a series of changes the heart undergoes a looping process where chambers become more defined. Valves begin to form resulting in unidirectional flow and eventually the heart matures, growing into the 4 chambered adult hearts we know and love.
To study embryonic heart development, we utilize zebrafish as a model, which exhibit similar heart development to humans during early stages. Our group is interested in identifying the role of mechanics in driving specific stages of heart development, relating functional, biomechanical, mechanobiological roles. Currently, we are investigating the mechanical properties of the embryonic heart and how they change as the heart transitions from a straight valveless tube to a multichambered adult heart.
We are interested in understanding the role of mechanics in the formation of human congenital heart defects. For this effort, we are working with cardiologists at Children's Hospital Colorado to collect ultrasound data. This data is processed, allowing us to perform computational simulations of flow through the fetal heart. Through this approach we can identify specific flow patterns in congenital heart defects, which may lead to a better understanding of cardiac function for specific cases, while also allowing us to identify if specific patterns actually drive the formation of a defect.
Collaborators for the zebrafish work include Prasad Dasi and Deborah Garrity. For the fetal human heart development efforts, we are collaborating with Choon Hwai Yap at the National University of Singapore, along with cardiologists at Children's Hospital Colorado: Bettina Cuneo and Lisa Howley.