Laura C. Zelarayán

Laura C. Zelarayán studied biochemistry and music in Argentina, she received her doctorate in developmental neurobiology in Hamburg (ZMNH) and after a postdoc period at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin, she moved to the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) at the Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology. Her ambition is to understand how the human heart is formed and how it reacts when it is stressed. To date, research conducted by her and her team has advanced knowledge regarding Wnt signaling network and cell specific regulators that contribute to disease progression, which activation characterized the diseased heart. However, in order to salvage the heart from damage, manipulation of gene regulatory networks (GRN) is required. Hence, human relevant GRNs are identified, characterized and their modulation is studied. Consequently, the research group has generated in vivo and in vitro CRISPR/Cas9-mediated tools for engineering synthetic transcription in a multiplexing manner in mouse and human models. The final goal is to program reparative cues based on gained knowledge and to improve disease-specific therapeutic options by further developing state-of-the-art technologies. This is all based on cooperative team work, scientific networking and a supportive frame to pave the way for young and future investigators.