Lucy Zhang

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of birth defect, yet its genetic and environmental causes remain unclear. Inflammatory conditions from the mother or the fetus can increase CHD risk, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Macrophages, a type of immune cells in the heart, normally support healthy growth but may cause heart damage under chronic inflammation. To investigate this, I will use a 3D organoid model that combines heart cells and immune cells to study how immune-cardiac crosstalk affects heart development under diseased states. This project aims to uncover novel mechanisms linking inflammation and CHD, providing insights into immune-related birth defects and potential therapeutic targets.