Advanced tools to study embryonic heart development

Congenital cardiovascular defects (CCDs) are a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. However, understanding their precise developmental origins is challenging due to the intricate and dynamic interplay between cardiac structure, function, and molecular expression. These factors are constantly interconnected, with each influencing the others. Our research group has developed innovative tools to assess this dynamic interplay. These tools include 4D OCT and Doppler imaging, optical mapping of conduction, and 3D fluorescence in situ hybridization. Using these advanced analytical methods, we have been able to gain critical insights into heart development. For example, our previous work consistently showed that increased regurgitant blood flow during the critical cardiac looping phase reduces cardiac cushion formation, which ultimately leads to CCDs. We have also applied these tools to study how prenatal alcohol exposure affects heart development, and in doing so, we have identified several compounds that can protect against its harmful effects. More recently, we have focused on combining these tools to gain a more comprehensive understanding of heart development.