In color : the beginnings of the lateral plate mesoderm , developmental precursor to the heart and circulatory system . Photos by Hannah Moran
biomarkers that can do that , but we need to be able to get them from a blood draw .”
As she transitions from Dr . Miyamoto ’ s lab to independent research , Dr . Nakano is currently focused on those circulating biomarkers . In fact , last year she identified a set of circulating microRNAs that predicted survival or either transplant or death by one year of age .
She ’ s now investigating the potential role of the immune system through rigorous classification of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells , or PBMCs , in the blood of single ventricle patients on their way to surgery . Working with the Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource , or HIMSR Core , a collaborative immunology lab on the Anschutz Campus , Dr . Nakano is working to define the types of immune cells in circulation , their activation status and what kind of cytokines they may produce .
“ In order to really figure out if a cell type works as a marker , if it ’ s a good surrogate for what ’ s happening in the heart ,” she says , “ you need to know exactly what you ’ re working with .”
And if that doesn ’ t work out , well , there are plenty of other fish in the sea . •
Cover photo by Hannah Moran ( left image ) and Christian Mosimann , PhD ( right image ).
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