My research focuses on characterizing novel mutations contributing to aortopathy in aortic aneurysm and dissection patients, and developing novel pharmacological strategies to prevent disease progression. We utilize functional genomics approaches including single-cell RNA-sequencing to pinpoint the disease phenotype and tailor patient-specific treatments. We are specifically interested in understanding molecular mechanisms contributing to aortopathy in patients with bicuspid aortic valves, the most common congenital heart defect affecting 1-2% of the general population.

We combine human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), gene editing, tissue engineered blood vessels (TEBV), and novel animal models to accurately model the pathological changes during disease progression and establish more effective platforms for developing novel treatments. Although TEBV is currently limited in its therapeutic efficacy, our goal is to develop mechanically active TEBV to address the clinical need for biocompatible vascular grafts.