Control of ion channel expression in the cardiac conduction system in disease - search for potential new therapeutic targets (renewal)

The heart’s electrical wiring—the cardiac conduction system—can fray in disease, and scientists are now hunting for the molecular switches that cause this breakdown. This matters because when the conduction system fails, the heart can beat too slowly or erratically, and the only current treatment is implanting a pacemaker. The research targets three common drivers of conduction disease: heart failure, ageing, and the circadian rhythm (which explains why symptoms often worsen at night). In mice, the team will map which transcription factors, microRNAs, and signalling pathways—including inflammatory and calcium-driven routes—go awry in each condition. If they succeed, they will test small molecules designed to correct those molecular errors, such as siRNAs and antagomirs, directly in living animals. Pilot experiments already suggest this approach can work. A successful outcome would open the door to drug-based treatments for conduction disease, potentially reducing the need for pacemaker implants and offering a therapy that addresses the root cause rather than just the symptom.