Project Proposal
Expression of Interest to Join Consortium HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-DISEASE-11 (Sex and Gender-Specific Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Disease)
Can act as:
Seeking expertise:
I use the zebrafish model to investigate how biological sex influences heart development, disease susceptibility, and regenerative responses. The zebrafish is particularly well-suited for cardiovascular research, as its transparent embryos allow direct and real-time visualization of cardiac structure and function in vivo.
I have extensive experience in zebrafish genetics, hormonal pathway manipulation, and in vivo imaging. I have contributed to the generation and characterization of glucocorticoid-related zebrafish models, which are used to study stress hormone signaling and its effects on cardiovascular physiology and pathology. In addition, I am able to generate genetic zebrafish models that recapitulate human disease mutations, allowing mechanistic analysis of pathways relevant to human cardiovascular conditions.
These experimental systems enable me to evaluate how glucocorticoid exposure, whether endogenous or stress-induced, interacts with sex-specific hormonal environments to shape cardiac outcomes. My current research applies these tools to examine cardiomyopathy, inflammatory responses, and impaired heart regeneration. By integrating genetic approaches, hormone modulation, and molecular profiling, my work aims to identify sex-specific mechanisms and risk factors underlying cardiovascular disease.
Through this research, I seek to help clarify why certain heart conditions manifest differently in males and females, ultimately contributing to the development of more targeted and personalized therapeutic strategies.