News
IDRM's researchers gather for an afternoon of cardiovascular science talks
IDRM's cardiovascular researchers showcased their research through a series of quick-fire talks on February 28th at the IDRM cafe. The showcase consisted of 27 three-minute presentations from the members of 7 IDRM research groups: Riley, Simoes, Stone, Smart, Mommersteeg, De Val, and Srinivas.
The informal showcase titled "IDRM Get to Know Each Other!" attracted over 75 staff members from all three of IDRM's research themes: cardiology, neurology, and immunology. Attendees were able to learn about the work and methods employed by the cardiovascular researchers, providing an excellent environment for the cross-pollination of ideas.
To kick off the presentations, the institute director, Prof. Paul Riley, gave a brief overview of the mission of the institute and the underlying interdisciplinary principles driving research innovation at the IDRM.
Presenting Groups
Riley Group
Group Riley's research has a heart development focus and studies the basis of congenital heart disease and heart regeneration strategies after a heart attack.
De Val Group
The research undertaken by the members of De Val Group, with group leader Sarah De Val, puts an emphasis on understanding coronary vasculature and how blood vessels grow and differentiate during development.
Smart Group
The members of Smart Group seek to redeploy embryonic mechanisms of coronary vessel formation in the adult heart for cardiac repair. To do so, they try to identify cardiovascular progenitors and inform strategies to manipulate a regenerative response in adult hearts.
Simões Group
The researchers at Simões Group study cardio-immuno genomics and seek to dissect the dynamic cellular crosstalk and spatial relationships occurring between macrophages and the regenerating cardiac niche to inform immunomodulation therapies that will enhance cardiac repair and regeneration.
Stone Group
Stone Group looks at how individual cells acquire specific fates and functions. The group is studying the formation and function of endothelial cells during embryonic development and organ regeneration to better understand their specification and diversification.
Mommersteeg Group
The Mommersteeg Group members use the Mexican cavefish as a unique model to understand the molecular and cellular pathways underlying heart regeneration.
Srinivas Group
The Srinives Group is a part of the Wellcome-funded Human Developmental Biology Initiative (HDBI) and is frequently involved in public engagement activities, such as their 'Shaping Destiny' partnership project. The group's research aims to understand how embryonic pattern is specified at the cellular and genetic level.
Overall, the event provided an excellent opportunity for researchers to network and share ideas. The internal event ended with an informal mixer in the IDRM cafe.