Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology and Human Genetics
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Pediatrics
Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology
Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology

My interest is gene regulation in the heart and cancer—I am a computational biologist focusing on Systems Bioinformatics and translational bioinformatics. I am currently working on precisely predicting noncoding regulatory elements and developing cutting-edge data mining algorithms and tools.

As a Ph.D. in regenerative biology, I'm committed to enhancing stem cell differentiation for cardiogenesis and hematopoiesis. My research explores cardiac and hematopoietic development mechanisms using mouse embryonic and human induced pluripotent stem cells. Collaborating on genomics and big data analysis, I share knowledge with aspiring researchers for groundbreaking discoveries.

My research focuses on understanding the transcriptional control in the adult cardiac conduction system. I am working on T-box transcription factor regulation of the mature ventricular conduction system (VCS). Specifically, I am interested in how alterations in the transcriptional network regulated by Tbx5 alter the functional and molecular identity of the mature VCS.

I am interested in understanding the early steps of cardiac development, especially cardiac progenitors’ specification. I am investigating the impact of Hedgehog Signaling on Second Heart Field identity and cardiomyocyte differentiation timing.

I am interested in understanding the impact of Hedgehog signaling on differentiation timing and migration of cardiac progenitors in space and time.

I work with Dr. Burnicka Turek to understand genetic regulation of cardiac conduction. I am specifically interested in understanding how increased cardiac dosage of Tbx5 modulates atrial rhythm homeostasis.

I work with Joshua Theisen studying downstream Hedgehog pathway transcription factors and their role in the genetic regulation of developmental timing. I am interested in defining the mechanism through which these transcription factors modulate the timing of cellular differentiation, and how this modulation plays into the broader context of complex mammalian organogenesis.

I am studying the role of Foxf genes as they relate to second heart field regulatory networks. Currently, I am building 3D models to visualize the influence Foxf has on second heart field differentiation.

I work with Dr. Joshua Theisen in studying the expression of transcription factor FoxF1 in the second heart field, specifically its role in regulating cardiomyocyte differentiation and development.

My background is in Biochemistry and Chemistry with focuses on protein chemistry and physical chemistry. Currently, I work with Robin Canac to explore the proteomics underlying early cardiac development. We specifically look forward to defining the proteins that work together downstream of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in cardiac progenitors.

Various tasks and duties.

I am interested in early heart development. I am working with Robin Canac to study how Hedgehog Signaling affects the Second Heart Field's identity and the differentiation of cardiomyocytes.