The grant to Prof. Kalsotra provides $300,000 over a three-year period to study the molecular basis for cardiac arrhythmias in Myotonic Dystrophy, a multi-systemic disease that affects about 1 in 8000 people with no cure.
The findings, reported in the journal eLife, could assist in the development of therapeutics that promote healthy heart growth and prevent disease. Biochemistry professor Auinash Kalsotra, led the new study with postdoctoral researcher Sandip Chorghade and graduate student Joseph Seimetz.
Professor Bagchi is the Deborah Paul Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and current department head of Molecular and Integrative Physiology. Bagchi is an accomplished scholar and leader, and has provided a clear strategic vision statement for the research and teaching missions of MCB.
Molecular and Integrative Physiology Professor Jongsook Kemper, postdoctoral fellow Sangwon Byun (leading author of the study), research scientist Young Kim, and colleagues publish results in the EMBO Journal.
