EP 222: From genetic risk to gene editing in heart failure with Travis Hinson of the Jackson Laboratory and University of Connecticut

This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Dr. Travis Hinson, Professor and physician at the University of Connecticut and investigator at the Jackson Laboratory. They discuss how genetics is reshaping the understanding of heart failure, why sarcomere biology has become a central target for new gene-based therapies, and how advances in genome editing and preventive genetics could redefine cardiovascular care.

Show Notes: 

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast

01:00 Welcome to Travis

01:44 Overview of gene editing for inherited cardiovascular disease

05:01 Delivery methods and viral capsid engineering to target heart tissue

07:29 Role of the titin gene in dilated cardiomyopathy and treatment opportunities

10:32 Genetic variants in titin and differences in phenotype

13:51 Promising therapeutic approaches for targeting titin 

16:21 Possibility of using a mini titin gene for replacement

17:31 Sarcomere proteins and their role in cardiomyopathy

20:28 Limits of current understanding in heart failure, including cardiac regeneration and congenital heart disease

24:50 Predicting drug-induced cardiotoxicity using stem cell models, animal studies, and digital twins

30:02 How Travis balances clinical genetics at the University of Connecticut with translational research at the Jackson Laboratory (JAX)

32:03 Where genetic testing is used in cardiology today and what’s limiting broader access

35:19 Understanding polygenic risk and unexplained heritability in cardiovascular disease

37:07 Managing inherited cardiomyopathy risk in families after a pathogenic variant is identified

40:36 Genetic testing as a prevention strategy and the public health case for earlier intervention

43:03 Balancing early genetic screening with penetrance, uncertainty, and patient anxiety

45:51 Closing remarks

Find out more:

Review on cardiovascular gene editing approaches

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