Nie Lab @PUMC Heart Research

Welcome to our Heart Research Lab led by Prof. Yu Nie!
Here, we focus on pioneering research in cardiac biology and diseases, striving for breakthroughs that can transform heart health care.
Welcome to join us!

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5

News

Recent breakthroughs in Nature Communications and Science Advances highlight Foxk1/2 and PTMA as powerful drivers of cardiomyocyte proliferation and heart regeneration. These discoveries offer new therapeutic strategies by targeting cell cycle progression and STAT3 acetylation, opening promising avenues for myocardial repair after injury.

JMCCcover

Research

Heart failure remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally, with ischemic heart disease being a major contributor. While mammals possess limited cardiac regeneration shortly after birth, myocardial cells lose their proliferative capacity as they undergo polyploidization thereafter. Given the limited self-repair capacity of the adult mammalian heart post-injury, irreversible loss of functional myocardial cells occurs. Our lab aims to unravel the mysteries of myocardial cell proliferation to achieve cardiac regeneration, investigate the causes and significance of myocardial cell polyploidization, and understand the process of cardiac development, striving for future translation from bench to bedside.

  • Versican, an extracellular matrix component derived from cardiac fibroblasts, is upregulated following neonatal cardiac injury, regulating myocardial cell proliferation. In our recent study, conditional deletion of the Versican (Vcan) gene in cardiac fibroblasts decreased myocardial cell proliferation and impaired neonatal cardiac regeneration. In adult mice, intramyocardial injection of versican post-myocardial infarction enhanced myocardial cell proliferation, reduced fibrosis, and improved cardiac function. Additionally, versican also boosted the proliferation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Mechanistically, versican activated integrin β1 and its downstream signaling molecules, including ERK1/2 and Akt, thereby promoting myocardial cell proliferation and cardiac repair.
    • See publication
Heart Regeneration
  • Cardiomyocytes exhibit varying ploidy levels, which undergo developmental changes in physiological conditions and alterations under pathological conditions such as pressure overload and cardiac remodeling. By measuring nuclear volume, we have established a precise tool for assessing ploidy. Leveraging this tool, we aim to delve deeper into unraveling the mysteries of cardiomyocyte nuclear ploidy changes..
    • See publication
Nuclear Ploidy
  • A precise tool named CACCT to identify CHD using micro-CT is developed.
    • See publication
Cardiomyopathy

People

Principal Investigator

Prof. Yu Nie

Prof. Yu Nie

Email: nieyuniverse@126.com

Principal Investigator

Staff

Miaoqing Hu

Miaoqing Hu

staff

Lina Bai

Lina Bai

staff

Xue Bai

Xue Bai

staff

Postdocs

Yifan Xie

Yifan Xie

Postdoc Researcher

Yang Cui

Yang Cui

Postdoc Researcher

Dongcheng Cai

Dongcheng Cai

Postdoc Researcher

Students

Chenghao Fan

Chenghao Fan

Ph.D. student

chenying Xiang

Chenying Xiang

Ph.D. student

Zehao Yao

Zehao Yao

M.D. student

Yuan Liu

Yuan Liu

M.D. student

wenzheng chen

Wenzheng Chen

Ph.D. student

Haorui Liu

Haorui Liu

Ph.D. student

Yixun Li

Yixun Li

Ph.D. student

Shijie Sun

Shijie Sun

Master student

Yunxiaoxiao Wu

Yunxiaoxiao Wu

Ph.D. student

Hao Wang

Hao Wang

Ph.D. student

Songrui Jia

Songrui Jia

Ph.D. student

Yi Gong

Yi Gong

Ph.D. student

Pen Xiang

Peng Xiang

Ph.D. student

Haocong Mo

Haocong Mo

Ph.D. student

Hangfei Yan

Hangfei Yan

Master student

Tingting Yu

Tingting Yu

Master student

Lingfang Chen

Lingfang Chen

Ph.D. student

Xinou Jiang

Xinou Jiang

M.D. student

Technician

Xinyu Li

Technician

Chiyin Wang

Chiyin Wang

Techniciant

Lab alumni

liuweijing

Weijing Liu

Current position: Scientist at Fuwai central china hospital

Ning Liu

Ning Liu

Current position: Scientist at NCCD

Ruopu Li

Ruopu Li

Current position: Cardiac Surgeon Fellow at Fuwai Hospital

He xuan

He Xuan

Current position: Cardiac Physician Fellow at Fuwai Hospital

Zhangyuan

Yuan Zhang

Current position: Physician Fellow

nan jiang

Nan Jiang

Current position: HongKong University

Activities

Our lab not only dedicates itself to research but also engages in community activities, including educational workshops and public health talks, alongside fun lab parties!

2025-06 The 2025 Graduation party in Nie Lab!

Lab Activities

Lab Activities

2025-05-20 Dissertation defense

We are proud to announce that our research group has two new Ph.D. graduates, one M.D. graduates, and one master's graduate. Their dedication and hard work have significantly contributed to our field. Congratulations to all on their remarkable achievements!

Lab Activities

2025-03-21 The South Congress of Cardiology in Guangzhou

Lab Activities

2024-05-23 Dissertation defense

We are proud to announce that our research group has three new Ph.D. graduates and one master's graduate. Their dedication and hard work have significantly contributed to our field. Congratulations to all on their remarkable achievements!

Lab Activities

2023-09-10 Lab party

Lab Activities

Selected Publications