Harnessing stem cells and precision medicine for new cardiovascular disease insights

Professor James Chong, University of Sydney

Future Leader Fellowship - Level 3

Years funded: 2025 - 2029

Stem cells and precision medicine for CVD

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death with heart failure and heart attack being major culprits. One in 4 (25%) patients with heart attack will progress to heart failure within 1 year, increasing to as many as 3 in 4 (75%) within 5 years.

Exploring stem cells, disease mechanisms and machine learning

Excitingly we have entered a new era where, firstly, our treatment paradigm is turning away from just slowing deterioration of diseased hearts towards regenerating new cardiac tissue. Our increased knowledge of stem cell biology has been crucial for this. Secondly, the way we approach understanding of disease has changed. Linear conceptual frameworks have been replaced with multi-dimensional models of interacting biological systems. Advanced computer processing and machine learning algorithms have enabled these advances that will lead to better understanding of disease mechanisms.

The integrated and synergistic body of work proposed here can be grouped into three themes that will:

1) Advance stem cell derived cardiomyocytes as a viable therapy and improve the Australian regenerative medicine eco-system.

2) Elucidate the cellular mechanisms responsible for coronary artery thrombosis and myocardial infarction.

3) Better understand the cellular mechanisms causing progressive fibrosis and scarring in heart failure.