Nov. 19, 2024
Researchers studying rare genetic variants to uncover cardiovascular diseases
A multi-disciplinary team of 草莓污视频导航 researchers is aiming to use genetic variants to discover new cardiovascular diseases and disease mechanisms.
Libin Cardiovascular Institute members Dr. Wayne Chen, PhD, and Dr. Robert Rose, PhD, are leading a novel study investigating the genetics behind rare cardiovascular conditions. Their goal is to understand the mechanisms behind these conditions and to develop diagnostic tests and treatments for individuals who are suffering.
Britton Ledingham/iEvolve Media
Chen and Rose, together with a multi-disciplinary group of basic and clinician-researchers with expertise in medical genetics, molecular biology, electrophysiology and cardiac physiology, recently received the Libin Institute鈥檚 Michael and Terry Wilson Cardiovascular Research Innovation Fund grant to support this initiative.
鈥淭here are diseases that people don鈥檛 even know exist, and patients whose physicians don鈥檛 have a clear understanding of what is causing their symptoms,鈥 says Chen. 鈥淪ometimes these patients are just suffering and there are no effective treatments. That鈥檚 why we would be thrilled to discover, understand, diagnose and treat new diseases.鈥
The team will be investigating gene variants that may play a role in cardiovascular conditions. They鈥檒l accomplish this by developing mouse models that replicate what鈥檚 happening genetically and phenotypically in patients with rare conditions.
鈥淭hanks to the expertise and specialized equipment in our labs, we can take a broad, multi-faceted approach that provides a unique opportunity to characterize new conditions,鈥 says Rose.
This process has already proven to be successful. Chen syndrome, CRDS, and later developed a to diagnose it.
According to Rose, Chen鈥檚 previous work in developing animal models plays a critical role in making this work possible.
鈥淭his is something that not long ago took one to two years and hundreds of thousands of dollars,鈥 says Rose.
He鈥檚 excited about the project, noting that linking a patient鈥檚 genetic background to their condition is a precision medicine technique that is critical in helping people with rare syndromes. Their findings may also lend insight into common cardiovascular diseases.
鈥淲e hope that this project will give us the opportunity to provide people with options that they currently don鈥檛 have,鈥 says Rose. 鈥淎nd in some cases, we may find these variants are more common than we realize in the population, and that the mechanisms underlying the rare disease could be operating in very common diseases.鈥
Moving forward, the team hopes to develop new collaborations with clinicians and clinician-scientists working on rare diseases. Interested collaborators can reach out via email to Rose at robert.rose@ucalgary.ca and Chen at swchen@ucalgary.ca.
Wayne Chen is a professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and a member of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine. He holds the Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Research.
Robert Rose is a professor in the depts. of Cardiac Sciences and Physiology and Pharmacology at the Cumming School of Medicine. He is the deputy director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and holds the DG Wyse-Libin Institute Professorship in Cardiovascular Research.