"Researcher Works To Repair Heart Damage With Stem Cell Type She Discovered"
Several years ago, Hina Chaudhry, MD, associate professor of medicine, cardiology and director of cardiovascular regenerative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discovered a new class of stem cells. The stem cells she identified originate in the placenta – making them easy to obtain – and have the ability to form functional heart and blood cells. They also have an intrinsic property that allows them to develop into various types of heart cells, to home in on the site of an injury and repair it. “It’s a novel finding – a paradigm shift,” she said about the discovery. Dr. Chaudhry was recently awarded a second NYSTEM grant to continue her work and translate her findings from mouse models to human applications. Dr. Chaudhry is optimistic that the NYSTEM funded projects will lead to additional economic development, and has launched a biotech company with the hopes of commercializing her findings.
- Hina Chaudhry, MD, Associate Professor, Medicine, Cardiology, Director, Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai