The gene PRDM16 was identified as a new disease gene for the development of cardiac insufficiency (cardiomyopathy). In order to better understand the underlying pathomechanism, we have further investigated the mutations found in humans using the zebrafish as a model organism and were able to show that the zebrafish also has a reduced cardiac function. In the present project we would like to conduct further studies with the zebrafish to understand if a different metabolism of the heart muscle cells leads to the development of cardiac insufficiency. Since the zebrafish, in contrast to humans, can regrow its heart muscle cells after damage, we plan to investigate the influence of PRDM16 on this process in more detail in order to possibly identify new therapeutic targets.

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