Helms Lab

We are a translational lab with a mission of developing improved treatments for heritable heart muscle disorders (cardiomyopathies). Most cardiomyopathies are now known to be caused by genetic variants. These genetic variants alter structure/function of heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes), leading to gradual accumulation of injury to the heart muscle over a lifetime. Some individuals with these conditions may be affected early in life and develop major limitations, while others may be more mildly affected. We use a range of genetic tools, cell-based methods, gene therapy approaches, and mouse models to identify the upstream mechanisms of these disorders and develop strategies to more effectively treat them.