Role of Smooth Muscle Calponin in Vascular Pathobiology

Diseases of blood vessels involve radical changes in the normal program of gene expression and function, the underlying nature of which is poorly understood. We have used the revolutionary CRISPR system of genome editing to study a gene called CNN1, which is specific for smooth muscle cells in blood vessels. We will study this gene, along with related genes, in both cells and blood vessels to gain new insights into vascular diseases.