A02: Function and modulation of genomic cardiomyopathy enhancers

This project investigates cardiomyocyte enhancer-dependent molecular circuits of heart disease, with a focus on enhancers bound by the key cardiac transcription factor GATA4. We will use CRISPR-mediated epigenetic perturbation to dissect the functional contribution of cardiomyocyte enhancers and to modulate pathophysiological processes in vitro an in vivo. Furthermore, will we decode the impact of sequence context and TF-cooperativity on enhancer activity to identify the mechanistic basis of non-coding genetic risk factors.