Monthly seminars feature a leading external speaker from the cardiovascular field. Please share the details of our seminars on LinkedIn, Bluesky or X. Contact Jane Sugars with any queries about the series.

Next Cambridge Cardiovascular seminar

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Reactivation of Pro-regenerative Macrophage IL-13 Signaling to Promote Cardiac Functional Recovery in Adults

Caitlin O'Meara - Associate Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA

Abstract

There is a great interest in identifying signalling pathways that promote cardiac repair after myocardial infarction. We`ve identified interleukin 13 as a pro-reparative signaling factor in neonatal heart regeneration via signaling to both cardiomyocyte and macrophages. Interestingly, IL 13 signaling is enriched in neonatal hearts and declines precipitously into adulthood. We show that re-activation of IL 13 signaling drives heart repair in adults and by using a combination of recombinant IL 13 (rIL13) administration and cell-specific IL 13 receptor genetic deletion models we identified that IL 13 signaling specifically to macrophages significantly promotes cardiac functional recovery after MI in adult mice. Single cell RNA sequencing revealed a sub- population of macrophages appearing in the heart early after injury only in response to rIL 13 administration. Collectively, we elucidate a strong pro- reparative role for IL 13 signaling directly to macrophages following cardiac injury. While this pathway is active in pro-regenerative neonatal stages, re-activation of macrophages IL13 signalling is required to promote cardiac functional recovery in adults

Thursday 25th September 2025 1-2pm

A light lunch will be provided from 12.30 pm

Please contact Ana Vujic (av335@cam.ac.uk) if you would like to arrange a meeting with Caitlin O`Meara

It would be great to see you in person, but if you need to attend remotely please contact Sarah Gibbings to receive a Teams link.

Room 100-102 ,VPD Heart and Lung Research Institute, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Papworth Road, CB2 0BB.

Dates for next academic years:

2025/26

Thursday 23 October 2025:
Thursday 27 November 2025: Sasha Mendjan, Medical University of Vienna
Thursday 22 January 2026: Alex Rothman, University of Sheffield
Thursday 26 February 2026: George Harston, Brainomix and John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
Thursday 26 March 2026: Michela Noseda, Imperial College, London
Thursday 23 April 2026:: Jacob Fog Bentzon, Aarhus University, Denmark
Thursday 28 May 2026: Kim Dora, University of Oxford
Thursday 25 June 2026:Maria Gabriela Noval, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
Thursday 23 July 2026:
Thursday 24 September 2026