School of Biomedical Sciences - University of Queensland

The Cardiac Disease and Therapy laboratory blends advanced physiological assessment of cardiac function with leading molecular approaches for targeted, cell-specific manipulation of gene expression to understand how the heart adapts to stress in health and disease.

We have expertise in assessment of cardiac function in whole small animals (echocardiography), isolated hearts (systolic and diastolic, vascular function, ischaemic responses) and in characterisation of cell changes (enlargement, proliferation, death) in culture that allows advanced instrumentation and development of novel assessment techniques. This expertise is blended with targeted manipulation of protein expression in a time- and cell subtype-specificities manner through in vivo and in vitro gene editing, transfection and infection. We also characterise changes in cardiac biochemistry using immunocytochemistry, and RNA/DNA/protein quantification. Integrating this broad range of expertise to experiments enables us to undertake highly integrated assessment of the heart.

Reichelt group

Understanding how an old heart gets stiff

Understanding how an old heart gets stiff Aging is accompanied by a stiffening of the heart and reduced function, which is accelerated by cardiovascular disease and leads to heart failure. How the heart stiffens is poorly understood. We have discovered a new mechanism involving structural membrane proteins (termed caveolae and cavins) and a signalling molecule (nitric oxide). The current research aims to use adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to unravel the interplay between cardiac cells and these proteins/signals to cause stiffness and to determine whether this process governs normal aging of the heart. This work will advance understanding of how heart function is determined and reveal how the human heart changes with normal aging.

Understanding how growth factors regulate neonatal cardiac structure and function

Development of heart failure in mice lacking cardiomyocyte ErbB4 receptors (cKO)

1. Regulation of postnatal heart growth by the receptor

ErbB4 Shortly after birth, heart muscle cells stop replicating, and cell enlargement during maturation is required to increase heart size. This is matched by expansion of blood vessel cells to meet increasing demand. This proposal identifies an essential component of communication between these different cell types, a growth receptor called ErbB4. We use adeno-associated viruses and adenoviruses to change protein expression in cardiomyocytes and cardiac endothelial cells to gain a better understanding of this receptor during a critical period for cardiac development and function.

2. How does ErbB4 protect of hearts from Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF)?

HFpEF is a disease without a cure, and is increasing in prevalence around the world. One of the most promising therapies in recent clinical trials for the treatment of HFpEF is a protein called Neuregulin, which activates the receptor ErbB4. Little is known, however, about how neuregulin is improving heart function. Our work seeks to use small animal models and virus-mediated manipulation of protein expression to determine; 1) which cell subtypes of the heart are responsible for the normal actions of neuregulin/ErbB4 in the healthy adult heart 2) How this normal function is perturbed in the context of HFpEF and 3) How therapeutic Neuregulin is protective in HFpEF.

Opportunities for researchers

Group Head

Dr Melissa Reichelt

Senior Lecturer

School of Biomedical Sciences

Staff

Dr Jake Russell (Postdoc)
Courtney Vedelago (Research Assistant)

Students

PhD

Zunhan Lu (Frances)

Honours

Kahli Jones
Maddison Sawyer
Hui Yi Choo (Cathy)
Sophie Watson
Monique Lowes
Callum Tucker
Agalihei Sasidarakumaaran

Understanding how an old heart gets stiff

ARC Discovery Project DP200101152 - 2020-2022

CIA Reichelt, CIB Headrick, CIC Thomas, PI Patel

How tissues generate the peptide hormone angiotensin II

ARC Discovery Project DP190102072, 2019-2021

CIA Thomas, CIB Reichelt

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Reichelt Cardiac Disease and Therapy, please contact med.advancement@uq.edu.au. Thank you for your support.