Understanding Mechanisms Of Sex Programming Of Cardiovascular Development

Abstract

The goal of this project is to track the influence of sex and sex hormones through crucial lifespan timepoints to define how specific patterns of gene signalling determine adult cardiovascular traits at cell, tissue and systems level. Sexually distinct cardiovascular traits are conserved across mammalian species. Early developmental events are known to be important in influencing later adult characteristics, but how adult cardiovascular functions are ‘programmed’ differently for males and females is not understood. The project aims to uncover the importance of the placenta in regulating foetus exposure to sex steroids and the crucial effects of the pubertal hormone surge in shaping cardiovas..