Meet the Cardiac Translational Research team, directed by PI Dr. Darryl R. Davis. We are a biotechnology lab located at the UOHI, focused on the discovery & development of biological therapies for heart disease. @HeartInstitute

Carbon nanotubes create lesions that closely resemble sarcoid. Sixty days after injecting them into the heart, we observed typical sarcoid granuloma histiocytes co-localizing with the nanotubes (black markings). 🔗doi: 10.1002/adbi.202400238

Exciting news! This study addresses a critical gap in cardiac sarcoidosis research by exploring the use of stressors like carbon nanotubes and transverse aortic constriction to develop one of the world’s first animal models. 🔗doi: 10.1002/adbi.202400238

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the most abundant cytokine produced by heart explant-derived cells, but its role in cardiac repair remains uncertain. For the first time, this study shows that IL-6 has a pro-healing effect in cell therapy for post-infarct repair.🔗doi:10.7150/thno.19435

Human atrial extracellular vesicles (EVs) significantly reduce scar burden in the atria, as shown by hydroxyproline and Masson’s trichrome staining, compared to placebo (Talc + veh). Discover the potential of EVs in atrial fibrosis treatment! 🔗 doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.…

Exciting finding! Human extracellular vesicles (EVs) reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in pericarditis equally in both male and female recipients. 🔗 doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.…

Human extracellular vesicles effectively reduce inflammation (cytokine levels) in atrial tissue, outperforming the antiarrhythmic amiodarone, which targets electrical activity.🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2024…

Human extracellular vesicles reduce the probability of going into atrial fibrillation (AF) in a rat model of pericarditis compared to treatment with a placebo (veh) or an anti-inflammatory (colchicine). 🔗doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2024…

Oxidative stress is linked to an increased risk of heart rhythm problems. We showed that injecting extracellular vesicles reduces oxidative stress in a rat pericarditis model, which may explain how they reduce the risk of adverse heart rhythms.🔗 doi: 10.7150/thno.89520

Anti-inflammatories and antiarrhythmics don’t prevent scar formation after pericardial inflammation, but a single injection of extracellular vesicles can significantly reduce scar tissue and arrhythmias.🔗doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2024… #AtrialFibrillation

Unlike pretreatment with amiodarone, a single injection of extracellular vesicles significantly reduces atrial cytokine levels and inflammation linked to postoperative arrhythmias. 🔗doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2024…

Exciting findings! Extracellular vesicles significantly reduce the cytokines in atrial heart tissue that cause heart rhythm problems. 🔗doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2024… #AtrialFibrillation

Human extracellular vesicles act like a drug and progressively reduce scar content in the atria after open-heart surgery. Dive in: 🔗 doi.org/10.7150/thno.89520.

Human extracellular vesicles (EVs) reduce the size of atrial myocytes compared treatment with placebo (veh). Dive in: 🔗 doi.org/10.7150/thno.89520. #AtrialFibrillation

Ever wondered how extracellular vesicles could revolutionize AF prevention? Our study shows they reduce atrial fibrosis, and prevent arrhythmias. Discover colchicine's limited benefits and the hidden risks of amiodarone. 🔗 doi:10.1016/j.jacep.2024.02.019 #AtrialFibrillation

Pericarditis increases atrial scar tissue. While anti-inflammatories offer modest reduction and antiarrhythmics have no effect on fibrosis, a single EV injection eliminates fibrosis and atrial fibrillation! doi:10.1016/j.jacep.2024.02.019 #AtrialFibrillation

Promising results: Treatment with extracellular vesicles prevents the adverse effects of pericarditis on connexin 43, improving atrial conduction and preventing atrial fibrillation. 🔗 doi:10.7150/thno.89520 #HeartResearch #ExtracellularVesicles #AtrialFibrillation

Exciting news! 🌟 Injection of human extracellular vesicles acts like a drug to dose-dependently reduce the inflammatory cytokines that cause pericarditis. 🔗 doi:10.7150/thno.89520 #MedicalResearch #Cardiology #Inflammation #Pericarditis #InnovativeTherapy #AtrialFibrillation

Exciting findings! 🌟 Although the anti-inflammatory colchicine partially reduces cytokines linked to atrial fibrillation, only extracellular vesicles decrease all implicated cytokines. 🔗 doi:10.1016/j.jacep.2024.02.019 #Cardiology #ExtracellularVesicles #AtrialFibrillation