Project 11: Epigenetic memory and molecular mechanisms of organ regeneration in the zebrafish

Our group is particularly focused on understanding heart regeneration in the zebrafish tinyurl.com/4kfwe3k5. This project will use epigenetic single cell profiling to understand how different cell types contribute to this process. We recently found that cardiac fibroblasts get activated in response to injury, and during regeneration, change from a pro-fibrotic to a pro-regenerative and quiescent state tinyurl.com/unhv2t6f. The DC project will explore how epigenetic marks control transition through these states. Furthermore, the DC will make use of smart imaging fluorescent microscopy to screen for epigenetic compounds controlling heart regeneration. Secondly, we recently reported the presence of a subgroup of cardiomyocytes in the uninjured zebrafish heart, which responds to injury with higher degree of proliferation than the rest of cardiomyocytes tinyurl.com/2p8m4nz7. The aim is to understand the underlying metabolic status and epigenetic marks that might be responsible for allow this subset of cardiomyocytes to respond with a higher efficiency to injury.