The human heart is the first organ to form and function during development. It starts out as a simple tube that beats and pumps blood, then undergoes remarkable remodeling to become a four-chambered organ. This transformation is both elegant and complex, and when it goes wrong, the consequences can be serious. Congenital heart defects, often caused by genetic disruptions during development, are the most common birth defects in humans.

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A key player in this process is the neural crest: a population of embryonic stem cell–like cells that migrate long distances and contribute to various tissues, including parts of the heart. My research explores how neural crest cells give rise to the muscular components of the heart’s outflow tract. I use a multi-modal approach, integrating embryology, genomics, and microscopy, to uncover the genetic programs that guide this transformation. Ultimately, I’m interested in how this process evolved, how it can go awry, and how understanding it might help us better prevent or treat congenital heart disease.