Dr Ian McCracken

As a BHF Immediate Fellow, Ian's research focuses on understanding how coronary blood vessel formation is controlled at the gene-expression level during both development and regeneration.

In particular, he is interested in how the embryonic endocardium undergoes a change in cell identity to give rise to coronary vascular endothelial cells during heart development. This research encompasses the use of lineage-tracing mouse models alongside a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based model of endocardium-derived coronary endothelial cell formation.

The application of single-cell omics analyses and pooled CRISPR screening technologies to these models is providing novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms governing coronary endothelial cell formation, with the ultimate aim of reactivating these developmental pathways in the diseased adult heart.

Gene targets identified as part of this work align with the objectives of REACT to promote coronary blood vessel growth after a heart attack.

In addition to studying coronary vessel formation in the developing embryo, Ian also supervises a REACT-funded DPhil student, Emma Jones, who is investigating the mechanisms controlling blood vessel growth in response to induced cardiomyocyte proliferation in the ischaemic adult heart.