Mechanisms of circular RNAs in cardiovascular cell differentiation (A07)

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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a poorly understood class of non-coding RNAs. In preliminary work, we found several hundred differentially expressed circRNAs by deep sequencing of RNA collected during induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation to smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Here, we hypothesise that circRNAs might be important in cardiovascular cell development. To test this, we will (1) systematically identify relevant circRNAs and their regulators, (2) modulate their expression to investigate their effect on iPSC differentiation and cardiovascular cell function, and 3) validate these findings in vivo. The proposed project will improve our understanding of the role of circRNAs in cardiovascular health and disease.