Mechanisms of circular RNAs in cardiovascular cell differentiation (A07)

• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 403584255

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a poorly understood class of non-coding RNAs. In preliminary work, we found several hundred differentially expressed circRNAs by deep sequencing of RNA collected during induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation to smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Here, we hypothesise that circRNAs might be important in cardiovascular cell development. To test this, we will (1) systematically identify relevant circRNAs and their regulators, (2) modulate their expression to investigate their effect on iPSC differentiation and cardiovascular cell function, and 3) validate these findings in vivo. The proposed project will improve our understanding of the role of circRNAs in cardiovascular health and disease.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 267: Non-coding RNA in the cardiovascular system
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität München (TUM)
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Lesca Miriam Holdt; Professor Dr. Daniel Teupser